RWBY: Unity
by Frosty28
Summary: What if Team RWBY and JNPR had extra help on their adventures? Would things still be the same? Or different? Fate has brought four new boys together, but why? Join there adventures through Volume 1. (Disclaimer: Many scenarios in the series will happen in my fanfiction. I only own my ocs, Roosterteeth owns the rest. Ocs may be shipped with characters later on)
1. Chapter 1: Serenity

**Welcome to my fanfiction! I have been writing for a couple of years now, and only recently decided to post it onto this site, so feedback is very much accepted. Now without anymore delaying, let's get into the synopsis of this chapter. Considered as the first of my oc's "Trailers", this one is focused on a farmhand by the name of Shade Crocus. Shade is a caring and helpful young man with a burning fire in his heart. As he finishes up his work, he noticed he is being followed. It is up to him to deal with the threat.**

The sun starts to set, and the moon rises over the sky of Vale. The forests are calm, the only noise that can be heard is the crack of an axe on wood. In the midst of the forest was a area cleared of trees. There stood a boy, not quite a man yet, chopping wood on a chopping block. The man had his shirt and jacket off, revealing his flat chest and abs. His messy dark purple hair waves gently in the wind. His wolf ears perk up as he hears a female voice call out, "Shade! Supper time! Come on back!"

Shade yelled back, "Coming, mother!" Shade gathers all the wood he chopped, and put it into a carrier. He slipped his long white shirt, and silk vest back on, and placed his plumed feather hat upon his head, and started walking. As he did, he looked over, and saw his sword. Shade then said, "Oh, almost forgot about you, didn't I?" He put down the chopped logs, and walked to his katana. He picked it up gently, and looked at it even closer. It has a dragon engraved on the hilt, and above the blade itself, was a double barrel shotgun. He opened it up, and two bullets were locked and loaded, ready to fire. He smiles slightly at his creation. He sheathed it through the leather slip in his belt, picked up the logs, and continued back to his house.

He walked in relative silence, knowing silence and patience is best when out in the wilderness. He walks carefully with each step, not making any sound whatsoever. While walking, he hears a twig snap. He stops in his tracks, and looks around slowly. He sees glowing red eyes all around him. A low growl follows, as a Beowulf herd has stalked him. Shade chuckled slightly. He set his wood down, and stood back up. He then said to himself, "I like my odds."

One Beowulf then roared loudly, and charged at him from behind. Shade waited, and waited. The Beowolf got close enough to claw him. As it unsheathed its claws and attempted to strike, Shade was gone in a flash. He back flipped over it. While in the air, he took his katana out, and fired one shot into its skull, killing it in one swift move. He then landed back onto the ground. He now has visual on all the other beowolves that followed. He counted ten of them, all emerging from the brush of the forest, one of them, an Alpha. He swiped his katana to the side, flinging any of the grimm's black substance off of his blade. He then twirled his katana, and put the hilt close to his head, and his blade and gun facing towards the enemy. He then said, "It's showtime!" The other beowolves roared, and all charged at Shade. Two came at him from the side. He stepped back once, and swung his blade horizontally whilst shooting, increasing its speed. It sliced through them both. One jumped towards him, and slashed at his head. Shade ducked, and the Beowolf missed him, only grazing his hair just barely. Shade then ran past him, towards the others. He took his katana, and flipped it around, holding the hilt at his side, with the blade pointing behind him. He then got his footing, and slashed upwards diagonally at one, putting it out of commission. However, as he had his blade still up, one Beowolf snuck up into a tree, and jumped onto him. Shade released his grip on his katana, and the katana slid away from him. The beowolf tried to gnaw onto Shade's face. In Shade's mind, he thought, _"_ _I have to use the Bear's Aura!"_ He gripped the Beowolf's upper and lower jaw, and held it open, his arms then surged with a purple aura, and Shade then made a huge bellow, and as he did, he ripped the Beowolf's upper jaw off, and threw it away. He then stood up. Now Shade almost looked angry. The last six roared at him, and Shade roared back, as a battlecry. Five then charged at him all at once. One swiped at his head. He grabbed it's paw, and punched the joint of it, breaking it with ease with his animalistic power. He then punched it's head, knocking it out. He took the body of it, and threw it into two more, knocking them out swiftly. The last one then charged at him, and he winded his fist for one last punch. The beowolf raised it's paw, and unsheathed it's sharp claws. Shade then did a swift punch, punching completely through the beowolf's abdomen. The beowolf then fell limply onto Shade. Shade pushed it off, and looked at the Alpha directly in its eyes. As he did, he felt a sharp pain in his head. He then looked down at his aura powered arms, and noticed that the aura started to recede. Shade then said to himself, "Not now, please." He looked around, and saw his katana still on the ground. The alpha beowolf ran towards him. Shade then started running towards his katana. The alpha and Shade met in the middle, where his katana laid. Shade quickly picked it up, and the Alpha jumped forward, and swiped. Shade blocked the strike. The alpha put force onto Shade and his sword, pushing him. Shade tried to hold his ground, but the alpha pushed him with ease. The alpha gripped his claws around the sword, and pushed it away, staggering Shade. As it pushed him, the Alpha raised his paw again, and swiped quickly. Shade turned, and the alpha clawed his arm. Shade winced in pain, as his aura was drained. The claw went through the white shirt, and into his skin. Shade looked at it angrily. The alpha prepared to strike again, but one shot rang out, and it wasn't from Shade. The bullet went straight through the Alpha's head it then fell forwards, in front of Shade. He looked ahead, and saw his father, Fenrir, wielding what appeared to be a revolver with a short blade under the barrel. Like Shade's, but in a more condensed version. Shade stood up, and said, "Father!" As he did, he grabbed his arm, and winced in pain. Fenrir walked over to him, and looked at the mark. He studied it for a minute. Fenrir then said, "He sure did get you good…"

Shade responded in an apologetic tone, "Yeah, father…I am sorry…I used my semblance too much again." He then looked down at his feet.

His father smiled soothingly, and said, "Don't be sorry, son. My father used to tell me what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger." He then put his hand onto his son's shoulders. He then said, "Believe me when I say this, I could not be any more prouder of you, Shade Crocus. You have completed your training as the top in your class, and you have been admitted to Beacon."

Shade then looked back up at him, and responded, "You mean I was accepted?!"

Fenrir chuckled, and said, "Yes, son. We got the letter while you were chopping wood."

Shade then raised his hands in the air, and yelled, "AWWWWWW YEAAAAH!"

Fenrir then said, "Now come on, we don't want to keep Lavender waiting."

Shade nodded, and said, "Yeah, that would be a bad idea…" They then both chuckled. Fenrir picked up the wood, and Shade picked his katana up, and they walked home.


	2. Chapter 2: Freedom

The hour is late. The cracked moon has fully risen in the sky, illuminating through the clouds. While many are protected by the kingdom's walls on this cool night, one wandering soul is perched on a tree branch. He wore a black trench coat, with the it going down as far as his knees. He wore long boots, and black cargo pants, and a white shirt under the jacket. His white wolf tail stuck out from under the trench coat. He also had on a leather harness, with two handles to his weapon inside. He was in the tree with a pencil and a notebook. He was drawing in it. He was carefully drawing lines with complete perfection. He then clicked his pen off, and looked at the final draft. It was a picture of a beowolf, very well drawn too. He looked at it, and nodded slightly. He then looked up at the moon, and said to himself, "Guess it is time to head back." He put the notebook into his belt pouch, and jumped out of the tree. He landed, and started aimlessly walking.

Later, he got into an open patch of grass, with trees encircling the area. He walked into the middle of the area, and he stopped. He looked around, and said, "I know you are here, show yourself, cowards."

A low chuckle can be heard, as a man, dressed in a black button down, black pants, and red shades appeared. He then said, "You sure are perspective."

Frost remarked, "That, or you are just careless where you step."

The man then said, "Ooh, and he still got a fire in him. My boys ought to get there revenge for what you did to them last time."

More goons came out from the brush. They all looked exactly like the main boss one. The all smirked and chuckled. The man then said, "Do you really want to have to deal with them again?"

Frost looked at all of them, and sighed. He then asked, "What do you want?"

The man answered, "You know what we want. He told us to find you, and take you back to him."

Frost shook his head, and said, "Never. You can go back to tell him, that I never want to see his smug gambling face again."

The man responded, "Tsk, tsk, tsk…that wasn't part of the deal. Y'know, he put a huge bounty on your head, whether you are alive, or dead."

Frost then said, "Do you really want another battle?"

The man smirked, and pulled out a red sword. He then said, "Yes." He charged at Frost, and swung downwards. Frost spun to the left, dodging the blade. He then pulled his weapons out. Two revolvers with blades going down his arms, like elbow blades. He swept his leg under his, and made his stumble. Frost took the time, and pushed him away. The man stumbled back into one of his goons. The goons looked at him, almost confused. The man then said, "Don't just stand there, get him!"

One goon listened, and charged at him from the left. Frost noticed, and holstered one of his elbow blades, and grabbed him by the throat, and the goon started to struggle for breath. Another goon ran towards him. The other goon slashed at him, but the sword went right through him, and he disappeared, almost like mist. The previous goon dropped down, breathing heavily. He then zoomed in from out of the thrush, and slashed both of them away, knocking them out quickly. Two more rushed at him. They both slashed at him simultaneously, but Frost blocked both of them easily. He then fired his two revolvers, and slashing as it show, completely cutting through the swords. They then backed away, and ran. The boss then yelled, "Team up! Quit going by yourselves!" The last of the goons rushed at him, as one unit. Frost cracked his neck, and he concentrated his aura around himself. He created ten more of himself. The enemy stopped in their tracks, confused, and some even frightened. The clones encircled the goons, and ran circles around them, making Frost into a blur. The goons tried to follow his movement, but he was moving too fast. One of the clones then jumped into the air, and unsheathed his elbow blades. He then smashed the blade into the ground, and shot once. The gun emitted a blue dust shot, freezing the enemies in a solid block of ice. The clones then receded back into Frost. Frost breathed in heavily. He then spun his revolver barrels, and the cylinder changed from blue to green. He then shot both. The bullets grazed the ice, but the wind from the dust's power shattered the ice, sending the goons flying back to their leader, knocking them out for good. Frost spun his revolvers, and holstered them. He then said, "You mess with the Eagle, you get the talons."

The boss, frustrated, said, "This isn't the last you have seen of us, he WILL find you!"

Frost sighed, and turned, he then responded, "I'll be waiting." The boss then retreated back into the woods. Frost then looked up into the sky, with a melancholy look in his eyes. He then said, "How could I be so ignorant…"

Behind him, a voice then said, "Ignorance is just a feeling, Frost. It does not define you."

Frost sighed, and responded, "Hello Professor Ozpin. I was returning, but I got caught up-"

Ozpin interrupted with, "A battle, I saw. Your skills have improved significantly over the couple years I had you in my custody."

Frost turned, and responded, "Skill isn't going to fix what I have caused."

Ozpin thought for a minute, and said, "True, skill isn't going to fix it, so what is?"

Frustrated, he said back, with regret in his voice, "I don't know! I made a bad choice…and it made me have to retreat my home without a trace!"

Ozpin sighed, then said, "Frost…you may have had a rough past, but you can change the present and future. Your past does not define you."

Frost looked away from Ozpin's eyes. Ozpin then continued, "Your mother and sister know you are with me, they have for a while now. They are glad to hear you are safe and well."

Frost sighed, and then said, "That's good to hear…" Frost looked up into the starry sky, and said, "I know I have said this enough...but thank you for taking me in my time of need. I was lost...afraid...and broken..." He then looked into Ozpin's gaze, and continued, "But once the new batch of first years enter those gates, I hope to be one of them."

Ozpin looked surprised. He then asked, "So you have considered it?"

Frost nodded, and said, "Yes. You said it yourself, ignorance is just a feeling, one I can fight through, and I believe attending Beacon not as a local, but as a student, will help that."

Ozpin chuckled, and responded, "Well said, Frost. Your mother would be proud of you." A buzzing noise then emersed from Ozpin's pocket. He pulled out his scroll, and opened it. He then sighed, and said, "Of all times..."

Frost asked, "What is it sir?"

Ozpin answered, "It was Glynda. She is on her way to a robbed dust shop." He smirked as he continued, "It sure would be nice if she could have some back up."

Understanding what he meant, Frost responded, "Right away, Professor Ozpin." Frost then ran towards the direction of the kingdom. Ozpin watched him run into the distance. He then said to himself, "I better go get those cookies made." He then walked towards the Academy.


	3. Chapter 3: Vigilance

The crisp winds blow throughout the city of Vale. Many Nightclubs in the city are filled to the brim with late night people. In front one of them, was a young boy walking. He wore a dark green bomber jacket with a fleece, and a white undershirt. He had on cargo pants as well, with chains coming off of his belt. What stood out however, was his slicked back black hair, with one dark green tuft of hair down the side of his head. In his hand, he carried a mechanical green and black pugil stick. He walked to the entrance to one of these clubs. The bouncer guarding the door held his hand out, and said, "Sorry, no minors allowed."

The boy reached into his pocket, and pulled out an identification card. The bouncer read the card, and looked the boy into his face, making sure it was his ID. He then said, "Alright, you can pass."

The boy responded, "Thank you." He then walked in. As he walked in, he was introduced by loud music. He looked around, and saw many people dancing. Many of the men wore what appeared to be greaser outfits, and many females wore very revealing clothing. Focused on the task at hand, the boy walked towards the back of the club, where there was a bar, with a couple of stools. The boy took a seat in one of the stools, and he said to the bartender, who was turned around at the time, "Can I get some sparkling water?"

The bartender chuckled, and said, "I have heard that voice before..." He then turned, and nodded, as he continued, "Verde Valentine. Been awhile, has it?"

Verde nodded, "Yeah. I have been having to make my money somehow, what with my family."

The bartender sighed, and responded, "Been there before. It must be rough for you, though."

Verde shook his head, and said, "Not at all, actually. Jobs around here can get you lien quick, surprisingly." He then asked, "How about you? Your business seems to be booming."

The bartender answered, "Yeah, but the club is a hotspot for punks. I have been trying to rid of them for a while, but the pests always seem to come back." He then looked past Verde, and said, "Speak of the devil, there is a few over there right now."

Verde turned, and saw a what appeared to be a man harassing a frightened woman. Verde turned back to the bartender, and said, "I'll make quick work of him."

The bartender responded, "Do that, and the drink is on the house."

Verde chuckled, and said, "You sure do know how to win me over." Verde stood, and started making his way towards the punk and the woman. He got close enough to hear the conversation. The punk said to the woman, "You seem like you could use some company." He then smirked. The woman shook her head, while stepping back. The punk then said, "How about I take you out back, and show you what this sword can do?" He then chuckled. Verde walked towards him, and said, "I don't think she wants to see your so-called 'sword'."

The punk looks at Verde, and said aggressively, "Beat it, kid. This does not concern you."

Verde responded, "From what I see across the club is you harassing this young female...so yes, it DOES concern me."

The punk then grabbed the collar of Verde's jacket, and lifted him up. As he did, the music stopped, and everyone stepped back from the entanglement. The punk pulled Verde close to his head, and growled, "Do something you'll regret, and you'll have to answer to my friends." Verde looked over his shoulders, and saw three figures standing there, all in different shapes and forms. One was skinny and somewhat small. The other was about the same size as Verde, and the last guy was a huge hulking mass of muscle. Verde chuckled, and said, "Then you may not want to do something YOU'LL regret." Verde then cocked his head back, and jolted it forward, smashing his head against the punk's. The punk dropped Verde, and stumbled back. Verde landed back onto the ground. He stood up, and smirked. The punk held his face in pain. He then said aggressively, "Now you're gonna get it...sock it to him fellas!" The skinny punk acted first. He charged at Verde, unsheathing two daggers from his ragged coat. He started to slash at Verde, but Verde dodged all of his blows. The medium sized guy pulled out a small pistol, and aimed at Verde. Verde realized, and he kicked back the skinny punk. He then pulled his pugil stick from his back. The medium punk fired two shots, but Verde blocked easily. Verde then said, "You aren't the only one with friends..."

Confused, the punks tilted their heads slightly at his statement. Verde chuckled, and said, "Meet mine." He pulled a trigger on the pugil stick, and the two ends unfolded, to make a curved blade on each end of the shaft. It turned from a pugil stick into a massive dual bladed scythe. The punk boss growled lowly, and yelled, "Keep at him!" The skinny punk then ran towards Verde, with his daggers pointed towards Verde. He thrusts at Verde, but Verde side steps. The skinny punk falls onto the curved blade of his scythe, and Verde catapults him away. The skinny punk flies into the crowd. Verde then charged towards the medium sized punk. The medium sized punk fired a few more shots. Verde dodged the bullets, and got in front of his face. Verde then grabbed the back of his neck, and threw him across the floor. He tripped, and slid across the dance floor. He then walked to the big punk. He was a couple feet from him. He looked up to his face, and smirked. The big punk growled. He then punched downward. Verde slid through the gap of his legs, and he punched upwards as he slid out. The big punk's eyes dilated, and he grabbed his groin, as he slowly fell down onto the floor. The punk boss finally growled, and said, "I'll take care of you myself then." He pulled out a straight edged sword, and charged towards Verde. Verde stood ready, with one blade curved behind his legs, and the other curved in the opposite direction, in front of him. The punk then swung his blade vertically, aimed at Verde's neck. Verde pulled his scythe up, and blocked it with the shaft. He then swung the blunt edge of the scythe into his head, knocking him down onto the dance floor. Verde then finally holstered his scythe. He then asked, "have you had enough?"

The punk, breathing heavily, made no response. Verde nodded, and said, "I'll take that as a yes." Verde started walking towards the bar. The punk, still on the ground, smirked, and said agressively, "Think again..." He pulled out a small revolver from his ragged coat, and fired one shot at the back of Verde's skull. Verde quickly turned, and pulled his arm up. His arm started to turn from flesh, into a metal substance. The bullet bounced off his arm, dealing little to no damage. Verde chuckled, and responded, "That was a bad decision..."

The punk's eyes grew wide, knowing it was the end for him. The punk slowly tried to move back. Verde walked to him, and grabbed his ragged jacket, and lifted him up, to where he met his eyes. Verde continued, "If you didn't fire that shot, I might have let you go, but now..." Verde's head started to become metallic. Verde continued, "Justice must be served. You know what they say, revenge is best served cold, just like my steel." His head was then enveloped in metal. He cocked his head back, and smashed it against the punk's head, knocking him completely out. Verde let go of the limp body, dropping him to the floor. As he dropped him, the police came into the building. They saw the punks on the ground, knocked out. Verde said, "You're welcome."

Surprised, the police put cuffs on the body, and picked them up. One of the police officers told Verde, "Thank you for your service. We got a call that a fight broken out in this club, but thanks to you, it was stopped before it got out of hand."

Verde smirked, and responded, "Just keeping Vale a safe place." He then turned, and made his way to the bar. The officers finished up, and left the club. Minutes later, the music resumed, and the people started dancing once again. Verde sat down at the stool. The bartender then said in congratulation, "Nice job, Verde. You handled them well."

Verde started to blush red from his congratulatory. He then said, "Awe, it was nothing. Just doing what my gut was feeling."

The bartender nodded in agreement, and said, "Here you go, the drink is yours." He then pulled out a bottle of sparkling water, and handed it to Verde. Verde popped the top on it, and started gulping it down. "Oh!" The bartender said, remembering something. He continued, "A guy came by whilst you were fighting. Said he wanted to talk to you."

Verde tilted his head. "About what?", He said, inquisitive.

The bartender answered, "Dunno. He wouldn't said. He said he would meet you out back, in the alleyway."

Curious, Verde nodded. He finished his sparkling water, and walk towards the back door. He looked towards the bartender, and said, "Thanks for the drink."

The bartender nodded in acknowledgment. He responded back, "Thanks for your service!"

Verde smiled. He then turned to the door, and walked out into the dark alleyway. He looked around, and there stood a man. He wore a tattered grey long sleeved button down shirt, with small tailcoat on the front and back. A red tattered cape flowed behind him. He looked at Verde, and said, "Verde Valentine?"

Verde walked towards him, and responded, "That's me."

The man nodded, and said in a somewhat serious tone, "I saw your fight in there. You handled yourself well."

Verde nodded. "Thank you." He said. He then asked, "I heard you needed me?"

The man nodded. He held out a letter, and said, "This is for you."

Verde grabbed the letter, and looked at the seal. It was from Beacon. Verde gasped a little. He gathered his breath again, and said, "Thank you." He then looked up, but the man had vanished, like thin air. Verde looked around, but no trace of the man was around. Verde shrugged. He then tore into the letter, pulling out a slip of paper. He then started reading it, line by line. His eyes grew huge. He raised his hands into the air, and yelled, "YES!" He then read the letter again, still as hyped as ever. He then said to himself, excited, "I better go pack my things." He then ran back into the street, following it home.


	4. Chapter 4: Justice

High pitched ringing is heard. Nothing can be seen, only darkness. Uneven breathing follows. A heart beats faster and faster each second. The high pitched ringing stops, but a simple cock of a rifle is heard, and finally, a shot. With a jolt, a young boy wakes up, sweating profusely from his forehead. He looks around slowly, to see the room around him. It is all neat in his room, with an outfit on a hangar, and a sniper laid against a wall. The walls of the room are white, along with the bed. The young boy's breathing finally slows down, and he sighs a sigh of relief. He runs his hands through his brown shaggy hair. He looks out his window, and sees Atlesian ships pass by. The boy then said to himself, "Guess I better get ready for today..."

The boy swung his legs off the side of his bed, and he stood up. The blanket falls off of him. He quickly changes into his outfit, which appeared to be an army officials outfit. He places his beret on top of his head, with it slightly misaligned. He then grabs his dog tags. He reads the name on it. Jecht "Mime" Fremont. He sighs loudly before putting it around his neck. He then grabs his sniper, and pulls the strap around his shoulder. He then opens his door, and walks out.

He walks through the military barracks. All around him, he hears mumbling. He instantly considers they are talking about him. It is not everyday that a young boy is allowed in the Atlesian Barracks. He walks into a locker room. He walks to one at the far end of the room. He puts in the code, and the door flips open. Behind him, a few voices mutter. He is able to hear what they are saying.

"Is that him?" One asked.

"Yeah...Jecht." Another one answered.

"Is it true what happened? About his family?"

"Yep, KIA...poor guy..." He said with sorrow.

Jecht then said to himself, "No need to feel sorry." Jecht loaded a few magazines, and he placed them in his belt pouch. He closed the door, and walked out of the room. He then walked to the mess hall. He grabbed himself a tray of food, and sat down alone. He slowly started eating. Behind him, he hears more conversations. He listens in again.

"There he is again." One guy said with a smirk.

"Yep, thinking he is better than the rest of us." One said, stifling a chuckle.

"Yeah, General Ironwood can't keep treating him for long." The previous guy said.

"Just because his parents die, he thinks it makes him 'special'"

Jecht looks down in anger. He clenches his fist. The guy finally said, "Worst is, his parents died in vein. I never asked to be advised by a kid." The group of three then laughed loudly. Jecht growled slightly. He picked up his fork, and marched towards the group. He got behind him. He flipped his fork in his hand, holding it inverted. He then got close to him, and plunged the fork into his hand on the table. The man then cried in pain. Jecht pulled the guy's head back. He then said with aggression, "You want to say that to my face, Private? How my parent's death was in vein?"  
The guy quickly said, with tears swelling up his eyes, "N-no sir!"

The guy's friends quickly stood up, and backed away from Jecht. One said, "He is crazy!"

Jecht continued, "Tell me why General Fremont and Colonel Willow's death was in vein?" He took the fork, and shoved it deeper into his hand. Behind him, a authoritive voice said, "Jecht! That's enough!" Jecht looked up slowly. He then turned, and he stood at attention. He was greeted by a man, in a white army official suit. "General Ironwood." Jecht said. Ironwood looked behind Jecht, and saw the guy, with the fork still in the back of his hand. Ironwood looked to his friends, and said, "Take him to the Medical Bay." His friends quickly nodded. They pulled him up, and helped him to the Medical Bay. Ironwood looked at Jecht, and said, "I need you in my office...now."

Jecht saluted, and responded, "Yes sir." Ironwood walked out of the mess hall. Jecht looked over his own shoulder, and saw many of them, with their gaze unwavering and silent. Jecht brushed it off. He followed his orders, and went to General Ironwood's office.

He made it to Ironwood's office. He knocked on the door. A muffled voice responded, "Come in." Jecht opened the door. Ironwood was sitting in a desk. Ironwood looked at Jecht, and said, "Please, take a seat." Jecht listened, and sat in front of him. Silence enveloped the room. Jecht broke it with, "What is my punishment?"

Confused, Ironwood asked, "What do you mean?"

Confused, Jecht tilted his head. Ironwood continued, "If you mean the incident that happened with Jenkins, it has been pardoned. He had it coming."

Jecht then asked, "Why am I here then, sir?"

Ironwood sighed, and said, "I am sure you know about the Schnee Dust Company?" Jecht nodded. Ironwood continued, "I have received word that the heiress, Weiss Schnee, has been accepted to Beacon Academy, in Vale."

Confused, Jecht asked, "What does this have to do with me?"

Ironwood sighed, and answered, "The head of the family has written to me, that he wants a bodyguard, to help protect her while at Beacon."

Jecht sighed, and looked away, he then said with frustration, "You want me to go."

Ironwood sighed, and responded, "Yes."

Jecht then said, quickly in response, "Forget it. Weiss has never cared for anyone else but herself."

Ironwood responded gently, "I know you and her have had a rough time in the past...but please, look past that. She has dealt with very similar childhoods." Jecht looked away, not with anger, but with sadness. His heart starts to ache. He sighed. Ironwood then said, "You are the only one here young enough to attend to a combat school, and are the only one who can relate with her. Please...do this, not as a soldier, but as an ally and friend."

Jecht let out a long sigh. He finally responded, "Maybe a change of scenery would be best..." He looked up, and then said, "I'll do it."

Ironwood stifled a smile. He responded, "Thank you Jecht. The ship leaves later tonight, don't be late."

Jecht nodded. He stood up, and saluted. He responded, "Yes sir." Jecht then made his way to the door. Jecht looked behind him, and Ironwood said, "Keep her close."

Jecht nodded, and said solemnly, "I will." He then closed the door, and left to his room.


	5. Chapter 5: Red Like Roses

The broken moon illuminates a luminescent light over the streets of Vale. Through an alleyway, walked a man, followed by some fancy dressed goons. The man leading them steps into the moon's glow, and his features can be seen. He had on a red-lined white suit, with long black pants and shoes. He had on gloves with buckled sleeves, a grey scarf tied around his neck, and a black bowler hat atop his head. In his mouth, was a cigar. He inhaled the smoke, and slowly exhaled. He held his cane up beside him, and continued walking. People in the streets recognized him. They all got out of his way when they walked by. Him and his goons walked the streets, till they reached a shop called "Dust Till Dawn." They opened the door, and a tiny bell rang, signaling their arrival. The shop owner recognized him. He walked towards the counter at the front of the shop. He pulled the cigar out of his mouth, and tapped the ash off of it. He then asked, "Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a Dust shop open this late?" One of his goons behind him pulled out a pistol, and pointed it at the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper quickly raised his hands, defenseless.

He then said, with fear in his voice, "Please, just take my lien and leave!"

The guy shushed him. He then said calmly, "Calm down...we're not here for your money." He then looked to his several goons, and said authoritatively, "Grab the dust." One goon placed a huge case on top of the counter. He opened it up, and several canisters were placed inside of it. Each goon grabbed a canister, and they walked to these huge tubes, filled with the magical substance, dust. They inserted their canisters, and the dust started to fill in the canisters. The goon then turned the case towards the shopkeeper. "Crystals." He said with agression. He continued, "Burn, uncut." The shopkeeper followed orders, and grabbed a red uncut crystal, and placed it into the case. One goon walked over to one of the dust dispenser machines. Before he placed the canister into the machine, he can hear some music inside the store. He looks to the left, and sees a girl, dressed in a red skirt, with black leggings and red and black boots. She had a hood up, with a cape connected, flowing behind her. The goon looked towards her. He frowned, and said, "Alright kid." He pulls out a red sword. He points it to the girl, who is turned in the other direction. He continued, "Put your hands where I can see 'em."

The girl does not budge. The guy, frustrated, said again, "Hey, I said hands in the air!" He walked towards her. He continued, "You got a death wish, or something?" He pulls the girls hood down. "Huh?" The girl said, as she had her hood tugged down beside her ears. She had black short hair, with red tips on the end. She had beautiful silver eyes as well. Red headphones covered her ears. The goon pointed towards his ears, signaling her to take the headphones off. The girl in red slides her headphones down beside her ear. She said, "Yes?"

Confused, Ruby asked, "Are you...robbing me?"

At the edge of his fuse, the goon said, "Yes!"

Ruby glared at him. "Ooooh." She responded. Before the goon could lay a hand on her, Ruby kicked him, sending him across the store, clattering into shelves. The leader groaned. He looked to one of the other goons. He tilted his head, signaling to go check it out. The goon ran towards the girl. He pulled out a gun, and yelled, "Freeze!"The girl rushed at him, and body slammed him through a window, crashing through it. The goons look through the window, at this girl. The girl slowly stands, with a case unfolding to be a massive scythe. She looks back through the window, and smirks. She then twirled her scythe over her shoulders, and landed the curved red blade into the tarmac of the road. The leader, unimpressed, said, "Okay..." he looked to his goons, and said, "Get her." The goons ran out of the store, weapons out. One goon charged from the front. He swung down, but the girl jumped, with her hands still on the scythe stuck in the ground. She spun on the shaft, and kicked the goon in the face, knocking him down. She then pulled the blade out, and landed with the scythe behind her. Two more goons ran towards her. She pulled the trigger, and a shot rang out. The force spun her around, sending one goon into the air. She then stopped, and pulled the scythe back over her shoulder, pressing it onto the next goon, crushing him. One goon stayed behind, firing a machine gun. The girl dodged the shots. Before she could attack him, however, an unfamiliar shot rang out, and the bullet hit the gun out of his hands. The goon looked to his left, and a blue blur ran towards him. He jumped up, and dropped kicked the goon to the ground, knocking him out swiftly. He then landed beside the girl, with his elbow blades out. The leader chuckled. He then said, "If it isn't Frost. Didn't figure I would see you on this side of Vale."

Frost stayed quiet, untouched by his words. The leader then said, "Quiet as always." He started to walk to both Frost and The girl. Police sirens can be heard in the distance. The leader continued, "I think we can say it has been an eventful evening." he dropped his cigar, and he put it out with the tip of his cane. He then pointed his cane towards the girl and Frost. He then said, "But I believe this...is where we part ways." The end of his cane flipped up, to form a scope. He pulled the trigger, and a flare fired out towards them both. They both jumped over the explosion. They landed back down, but he escaped. They looked around, until they saw him climbing up a ladder on a building. The shopkeeper walked out of the shop. The girl looked at him, and asked, "Do you mind if I go after him?"

The shopkeeper shook his head. Frost then said, "I am coming with."

Ruby responded, "Alright. Let's go." A chase then ensued. They reached the building. The leader finished climbing it, but the girl fired one shot, and it shot her up to the top of the building. Frost followed behind her. The girl then yelled, "Hey!" The leader looked off the edge. Frost made a low growl, while holding his elbow blades close. The leader then said, "Persistent..." The girl readied her scythe. A faint whirling sound can be heard, and from the alley, rose an aircraft. Bay doors opened up, and the leader climbed into the aircraft. He turned to the girl and Frost. He then said, "End of the line, Red!" He held up a red dust crystal. He then threw it towards them. Confused, the girl and Frost both stepped back. The leader then fired one flare at it, and it caused a massive explosion, causing red smoke to fly into the air. The leader laughed hysterically, but it was short lived. The smoke blew away. The girl and Frost were both defended by another person, wielding a wand. She appeared to be wearing a white long sleeved pleated top, with a wide keyhole neckline, and gauntlet cuffs that flare off her wrists, and a purple and black cape coming off of her shoulders. Her lower body is covered by a black high waisted skirt, with brown stockings underneath. Her hair was tied into a bun, with one curl down the side of her face. With the wand in hand, she created a magic circle in front of herself and the girl and Frost. She looked sternly at the airship. The magic circle deteriorated, and the woman flung her hand to the side, and several magic purple projectiles flew towards the ship. The made contact on the ship, rocking it back and forth. The leader was rocked with the ship. He quickly made his way to the cockpit, and said to the female pilot, "We got a huntress!" The pilot got out of the seat, and ran to the bay door. The leader sat down into the pilot seat, and took her role as pilot. The huntress cocked her arm back, and she glowed for a second. She then waved her wand up, firing a flare into the sky. The flare expanded into a magic circle in the air above the aircraft, and a massive storm cloud formed from the circle. She then pulled her arm downwards, and dangerous ice shards rained from the cloud, puncturing the aircraft. The previous pilot reached the bay door. Her glass heels tapped on the metal of the aircraft. Her red dress flowed in the breeze created by the aircraft. She waved her arms over the sleeves of her dress, and the sleeves started to glow a bright orange color. She then held her palm out, and a fireball shot out. The huntress swung her wand at it, creating a magic circle, blocking it. Hot fire crystals dripped around her feet. The pyromancer raised her hand up, and a flaming circle appeared beneath her. She looked down, and flipped back quickly, only barely dodging a fire beam shot into the sky. The huntress landed. She quickly held her hand out, and pulled it back. The debris around her slowed their landing. She then twisted her arm and wrist slowly, and the debris turned into a large spear. She flipped her wrist one last time, sending the spear flying towards the aircraft. The pyromancer fired fireballs at it, disassembling it for a second, but it repaired in a split second. The leader quickly tilted the stick to the right, and the ship tilted, letting the spear glide off of it. The spear broke off into a few more projectles. The pyromancer then held her arms to her chest, and a circle revolved around her. She then spread her arms out wide, and a blast enveloped the ship. The projectiles disintegrated with ease. The girl finally took to action, and she changed her scythe into its sniper counterpart. She fired at the pyromancer, but she blocked the bullets with ease. She then took the moment for another attack. She swung her arms out, and several circles appeared under the girl, huntress, and Frost. Taking to action, the huntress swung her wand at both the girl and Frost, forcing them forward. She then dodged as well, and more fire beams shot into the sky. As the successfully dodged, the ship then flew away into the distance, escaping. After a moment to catch their breath, the girl looked to the huntress, and said, "You're a huntress?" The huntress looked at her, stern as usual. The girl, almost hysterical, asked, "Can I have your autograph?!" The huntress stayed quiet, she then looked at Frost, and gave him a glare. Frost, once again, remained unmoved.


	6. Chapter 6: Introductions

The huntress took Frost and the girl to a dimly lit room. The girl sat down at the table, while Frost leaned his back against a wall. The huntress walked around the table, saying, "I hope you realize that your actions tonight will not be taken lightly, young lady. You put yourself and others in great danger."

The girl retorted back, "They started it!"

The huntress continued, "If it were up to me, you'd be sent home...with a pat on the back..." The girl then smiled. The huntress then looked towards her, and continued, "And a smack on the wrist." She then smacked her wand on the table, making the girl pull her hands back, and yip. The huntress looked at Frost, and said, "And as for you, Mr. Aquila, you were supposed to stay on the Academy grounds."

Frost answered back sternly, "For the record, I was sent as backup, Glynda."

Behind Glynda, a voice said, "He is right." Out from the shadows, was Ozpin. Glynda said, "You really sent a child as backup?"

Ozpin, defending Frost, said, "I have seen Frost's skills in battle, he was the best option at the time."

Glynda sighed, she reluctantly said, "Very well."

Ozpin, carrying a plate of cookies in one hand, and a mug in the other, looked at the girl. He then said, "Ruby Rose." He gazed into her eyes, and continued, "You...have silver eyes..."

Ruby was confused, and didn't say anything. Ozpin then asked, "So, where did you learn to do this?" He points to the tablet in Glynda's hand, and it showed her fighting off the goons. Ruby answered, "Signal Academy."

Ozpin then asked, "They taught you to use one of the most dangerous weapons ever designed?"

Ruby answered back, "Well, one teacher in particular."

"Hmm, I see." Ozpin said. He placed the plate of cookies in front of Ruby. Ruby reluctantly picked up one, and ate it. "Mm." She said. She then picked up one by one, eating them all up with quickness. Ozpin then explained, "It is just that I've only seen one other scythe wielder before." He looked away, and continued in a reminiscence tone, "A dusty old crow."

Ruby, with a mouth full of cookie, tried to speak. She then swallowed, and said, "Sorry. That's my uncle, Qrow. He's a teacher at Signal. I was complete garbage before he took me under his wing, but now, I'm all like-" She then proceeded to make stereotypical kung-fu noises, along with chops. Frost watched from the back, and stifled a little chuckle. Ozpin responded, "So I've noticed." He placed his mug onto the table, and leaned over it, while asking, "What is an adorable little girl, such as yourself doing at a school designed to train warriors?"

Ruby answered, "Well...I want to be a huntress."

Curious, Ozpin then asked, "You want to slay monsters?"

Ruby answered, "Yeah. I only have two more years left at Signal, then I'm going to apply at Beacon."

Ozpin nodded, and responded, "I see. You are saying you would like to come to my school?"

Ruby answered, "More than anything."

Ozpin looked at Glynda, who shrugged it off. Ozpin looked back towards Ruby, and said, "Well, alright." Ruby's eyes then grew with joy. Ozpin then explained, "Behind you, is Frost Aquila, my apprentice. He will also be joining you this year at Beacon Academy." Frost made a slight bow. Ozpin continued, "He will take you to the hotel you'll will be staying at for today."

Ruby nodded. She then said, "Thank you, Ozpin."

Ozpin then responded, "I'll see you at Beacon." Ozpin stood back up, and grabbed his mug. Him and Glynda walked out. Frost then said, "We better get going, before it gets too late."

Without hesitation, Ruby followed him out. She followed him down the street. Frost walked in silence, but Ruby asked, "So, Frost, is it?"

Frost nodded.

Ruby then asked, "How do you know Ozpin so well?"

Frost answered, "He is a close friend of the family, one of the few I can truly trust."

"I see." Ruby responded.

Frost then asked, "Don't you have a sister going to Beacon this year as well?"

"Huh?" Surprised, Ruby asked, "You know of Yang?"

Frost nodded, and responded, "I help Ozpin sort many of the transcripts and reports on the students. Yang's had a little section on the family she lives with, and your name was the first on it, along with Taiyang."

Surprised that Frost is in power enough to even see the reports of the students, she then said, "Ozpin must really trust you."

"Yeah..." Frost said, but almost sounding disappointed. Ruby caught on, but decided not to badger him. Frost then asked, "Your uncle...he taught you how to wield your scythe?"

Ruby nodded, whilst saying, "Yep. Crescent Rose and me go way back." She then looked at Frost's weapons in their holsters. She then asked, "How about you? You seem skilled with yours?"

Frost answered, "Me and my sister both learned by ourselves. Since out mother was too busy with bounties, she would be gone for days at a time. It was up to us to defend for ourselves."

Ruby then asked, "What about your father?"

Frost looked away, and had depression in his eyes. He then said, "He died when I was younger..."

Ruby realized what she started, "Oh...sorry I reminded you..." She looked away too. Frost responded, "No worries. It is all in the past, now."

Ruby looked away as well, and explained, "I know what the loss of a parent feels like...I lost my mother when I was younger." Silence fell over the two of them. Frost broke the silence once again, and asked, "Why did you choose this line of work? To become a huntress?"

Ruby answered, "My sister used to read me books, about heroes and monsters. I always wanted to strive to become like the heroes in my books."

"I see." Frost responded.

"How about you?" She asked.

Frost went silent for a second, thinking about his answer. A minute later, he answered, "I strive for knowledge. Not just in defense, but in the world around me. What I lack in power, I can make up for in wisdom"

Ruby chuckled, and responded, "Wow, you sound just like Ozpin."

Frost stifled a chuckle as well, and remarked, "Yeah, I get that a lot." They finally stopped in front of a huge building. Frost then said, "This is it."

Ruby nodded, and said, "Thank you for escorting me here."

Frost responded, "No problem. I'll be back to walk to the airstrip with you, to head our way to Beacon." He walked to Ruby, and handed her a little bit of lien. He then said, "That should be enough for a room tonight, and I'll be sure to make contact with your sister to bring your things as well."

Ruby responded, "Thanks again, Frost. I'll see you tomorrow."

Frost nodded, and remarked, "Right back at you." They then parted ways. Ruby walked into the building, and rented a room. Once she got into her room, she fell onto her bed, exhausted. In just a couple of minutes, she was out like a light, ready for the adventures of the future.


	7. Chapter 7: Nervous Banter

Ruby walked out of the hotel door, and as promised, Frost was waiting there. Ruby asked, "How long were you waiting?"

Frost answered, "I just got here, actually." He reached into his pocket, and pulled out something. "Here." He said, handing Ruby a cookie.

Almost blushing, she said, "Awe, you didn't have to get me anything."

Frost responded, "Figured you would be tired, so I would get something for you as a wake-up call."

Ruby then cheerfully said, "Thanks!" She then unfolded the wrapper, and started to eat the cookie. They then made their way to the airstrip. Ruby asked, "Did you get anything for yourself?"

Frost shook his head, "I wasn't hungry." He replied.

Ruby then asked, "Are you nervous?"

Frost responded, "Not particularly, how about you?"

"Umm..." She said. "Maybe a little. I mean, I am two years younger than the rest."

Frost responded, "That just proves how much skill you got. I myself am a year younger, so I guess we're one of the same." They both stifled a chuckle. They made their way to the airstrip, with many other aspiring students there. Frost then said, "I contacted your sister. She said she would be with us momentarily." Minutes later, a familiar head with yellow locks walks in view. Ruby yelled out, "Yang!"

"Ruby!" Yang yelled back. Yang ran to them both. Yang then hugged Ruby. As she did, an intercom came on, and a voice on the monitor said, "Will all First Year students attending at Beacon, please board Aircraft Delta." The lines then started to move. Frost, Ruby, and Yang all boarded one ship, and moments later, they took off. Whilst in the air, Yang hugged Ruby tightly, almost taking the air out of her. Yang then said, "I can't believe my baby sister is going to Beacon with me, this is the best day ever!"

"Please stop..." Ruby responded, trying to grab on as much air as she can.

Yang let go of her, and said with glee, "But I'm so proud of you!"

Ruby responded, "Really, sis...it is nothing."

Not believing her, Yang retorted, "What do you mean? It was incredible! Everyone at Beacon is going to think you're the bee's knees."

Ruby then explained, "I don't want to be the "bee's knees" okay? I don't want to be any type of knees! I just want to be a normal girl, with normal knees."

Frost then entered the conversation with, "Keep in mind, no one is truly normal. The world would be bland if we were not different."

Yang looked at him, and responded, "You must be Frost." She held out her hand. Frost grabbed it, and shook it. Frost replied with a slight smile, "Yep, and it may just be a guess, but you must be Yang."

Yang chuckled, and responded, "You're funny."

Frost shrugged, and said, "I try to be." Behind him, a Holo-TV was on the news, talking about the robbery yesterday. The news anchor said, "The robbery was lead by nefarious criminal, Roman Torchwick. Who continues to evade authorities." They then showed a picture of Roman, who appeared to be the same man who attacked Ruby. The news anchor continued, "If you have any information on his whereabouts, please contact the Vale police Department." Frost made a low growl. Ruby noticed, and she asked, "What's wrong?"

Frost explained, "I have had a couple run-ins with him in the past..."

The news anchor continued, "Now back to you Lisa." It cut over to another news anchor, Lisa. Lisa said, "Thank you Cyril. In other news, this Saturday's Faunas Rights Civil Right's protest went dark, when members of the White Fang disrupted the ceremony. The once peaceful organization has now disrupted..." The Holo-TV then shut down, and appeared a hologram of Glynda. Glynda stated, "Hello, and welcome to Beacon!"

Yang then asked, "Who's that?"

Frost responded, "Wait for it."

Glynda continued, "My name is Glynda Goodwitch."

"Oh", Yang said.

Glynda stated, "You are among a privileged few who have received the honor of being selected to attend this prestigious academy. Our world is experiencing an incredible time of peace, and as future huntsmen and huntresses, it is your duty to uphold it. You have demonstrated the courage needed for such a task, and now, it is our turn to provide you with the knowledge, and the training to protect our world." The hologram then faded.

"Oh, wow!" Ruby said. She then walked towards the window, and looked out of it. She

then continued, "Look, you can see Signal from up here! I guess home isn't too far after all."

Yang then walked to Ruby, and placed her hand on her shoulder. She then said, "Beacon's our home now."

Frost nodded, and said, "Yep. And we're all family."

As he said that, they heard a groan from one of the other passengers. They turned, and a boy, wearing a iron chestplate cutting off at his lower abdomen. He has messy blonde medium length hair. Underneath the chestplate, he wears a black hoodie, and has blue jeans on, with black and white sneakers. Not what many would call "Battle Armor." He has a sword inside his hilt, strapped to his side. His hands cover his mouth, as if he was about to regurgitate. He quickly walks beside them, trying desperately to find a garbage bin.

Yang responded to the scene, "Well, I guess the view is not for everyone."

Ruby replied, "It was a nice moment while it lasted."

Yang then said in a cheerful tone, "I wonder who we're gonna meet."

Ruby remarked, "I just hope their better than 'Vomit Boy'."

Frost then said, "Only time will tell."


	8. Chapter 8: Friend or Enemy?

The aircraft lands on the cliffs of Beacon Academy. The students start to pile out of the aircraft slowly. The first one off was "Vomit Boy". He ran off the ship, and he quickly turned, to where, in his time of need, was a garbage bin. He then let the dam go, and he vomited inside the bin. He then groaned. Meanwhile, the others walk there first few steps on Beacon's Grounds. Yang and Ruby both gasp in awe. Frost smiled, and said, "Sure is something, huh."

Yang responded, "The view of Vale's got nothing on this."

Ruby looked around, and she had a twinkle of starstruck in her eye. She gasped, and started pointing to one of the other student's weapon, "Sis! That kid's got a collapsible staff!" She then look to another person, and continued, "And that girl's got a fire sword!" She started to trail off, but Yang grabbed her hood, and pulled her back. She then said, "Easy there, little sister. They're just weapons."

"Just weapons?" She scoffed. "There an extension of ourselves! They're a part of us!"

Frost then asked, "Couldn't you swoon over your own weapon? Seems like you're happy with it."

Ruby unsheathed her scythe, and said, "Of course I'm happy with Crescent Rose. I just like seeing new ones." She then swung her scythe back, not realizing someone was behind her. "Ow!" A sharp voice said. The trio turned, to see a guy, with a green bomber jacket, chains on his belt, and a green strip in his hair, grabbing his shin in pain. Ruby then quickly stammered, "Oh, uh, sorry! I didn't see you there!"

The guy said, "Don't sweat it..." He looked at the weapon, and his eyes grew. He then said, "Is that a scythe?"

"Uuhhh, yeah?" She said, confused at why he asked.

The guy chuckled, and said, "You may be my best friend then." He pulled out his pugil stick, and he pressed a trigger, transforming it into a dual sided scythe. Ruby then looked at his weapon with the same gaze as the others. Frost studied the weapon, and said, "Giant green scythe, green strip of hair...you must be Verde Valentine."

Verde chuckled, and said, "Yep, in the flesh."

Ruby then said, "I'm Ruby, and this is Yang and Frost."

Yang simply said, "Sup."

Frost nodded, and said, "Hello."

Verde then said, "Nice to meet you."

Yang then looked at Ruby, and said, "See Ruby? Already making friends." Yang then starts to slowly walk away. Ruby then asked, "Where are you going?"

A group of people then surrounded Yang, and she quickly said, "Well, actually my friends are here, got to go catch up, okay? Bye!" They then ran past Verde, Ruby, and Frost, disorientating them all. Ruby then said, "Wait, where are you going? Are we supposed to go to our dorms? Where are our dorms? Do we have dorms?"

She sighed, and said, "I don't know what I'm doing. She then fell backwards, unknowingly onto some other girl's luggage. "What are you doing?!" A girl in front of her, Frost, and Verde said. She was wearing a white skirt with red lining. Her hair was put up in a side ponytail, and she wore white high heel boots. Ruby looked up, and said apologetically, "Sorry."

"Sorry?! Do you have any idea what damage you could have caused?!" Said the girl with an attitude. Ruby picked up one of the cases, and the girl snatched in from her. Beside her, was a male, who looked like he was part of the Atlas Military. The male said, "Ma'am, it was an accident."

She looked towards him, and said, "Shut it!" She opened the case, and inside was fragile dust vials. She then said, "This is Dust, mined and purified from the Schnee Dust Quarry!"

"Uuuuhhhh." Frost, Verde, and Ruby simultaneously said.

"What are you, brain dead?! Dust! Fire! Water! Lightning! Energy!" She started to shake the vial, and dust particles started to fly around in the air. The male then said, "Um, ma'am? That is not the best idea."

Not listening, the girl continued, "Are you even listening to me? What do you got to say for yourself?!"

Ruby stood up, and she inhaled the dust particles. Verde then said, "She's gonna blow!"

The male quickly took action, and stepped in front of the two girls. Ruby sneezed, and the dust around her exploded. Ice, fire, and lightning took the air, hitting the girl's bodyguard, covering him in soot. He then fell over backwards. The dust vial flew out of her hand, and rolled to another girl's black low heeled boots. This girl was reading a book whilst the Ruby and the snobbish girl were arguing. She crouched down, and picked it up. She took her eyes off the book, and look at the girls arguing, with the boys staying out of the heated battle. The snobbish girl then said, "Look what you did to my bodyguard!"

Ruby, once again, said, "I'm really, really, sorry!"

"Ugh, you complete dolts!" She said to the three of them.

Frost remarked, "Dolts? I didn't even do anything!"

Verde then agreed with Frost, "Yeah! I just got here!"

"Shut it!" She said, once again. She looked at Ruby, and continued, "What are you even doing here? Aren't you a little young to be attending Beacon?" Before Ruby could answer, the girl continued, "This isn't your ordinary combat school. This isn't just sparring and practice you know, we're here to fight monsters! So watch where you're going!"

Ruby, now angry, said, "Hey, I said I was sorry, princess!"

The girl reading finally walked towards them, and said, "It's heiress, actually." They all looked to the girl dressed in black and white. The mysterious girl said, "Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, one of the largest producers of energy propellant in the world."

Weiss smirked, and responded, "Finally, some recognition!"

However, the girl continued, "The same company infamous for its controversial labor forces, and questionable business partners."

Weiss scoffed, "What? How dare you?!" She then snatched the red dust vial from the girl's hand, and stomped off, angrily. Two servants of hers pick up the other cases. Ruby then yelled to Weiss, "I promise I'll make it up to you!"

On the ground, the bodyguard groaned. Frost and Verde went to his side, and helped him up to his feet. He dusted off the soot, and looked at them, eye to eye. He said, "I am terribly sorry for her behavior. Being in a new area can do weird things to your head."

Weiss yelled back, "I am supposed to be escorted, Jecht!"

Jecht made a long sigh, and said, "Duty calls..." He then ran to Weiss's side. Ruby looked down, and said, "I guess I'm not the only one having a rough day...so, what's your-" She looked to her side, to talk with the other girl, but she has already walked off. Ruby then looked down, and collapsed to her knees, and fell back. She then said, "Welcome to Beacon."

Verde looked over her, and said to cheer her up, "Come on, It can't be all THAT bad."

Frost nodded in agreement, but Ruby simply shut her eyes. Frost and Verde looked at each other. Another shadow loomed over her. A male voice said, "Hey." He held his hand out. Ruby looked at him, and it was the boy from the ship. He then said, "I'm Juane."

"Ruby..." Ruby said back, as she grabbed his hand. Juane pulled her up to her feet. Ruby then stifled a snicker, and said, "Aren't you the guy who threw up on the ship?" Juane then sighed.


	9. Chapter 9: Awkward Quirks

Ruby, Juane, Frost, and Verde walk the campus grounds. Juane was busy explaining about his illness. He ended with, "All I'm saying is that motion sickness is a much more common problem than people let on!"

Ruby then said, "Look, I'm sorry, but Vomit Boy was the first thing that came to mind."

Juane retorted back, "Oh yeah? What if I called you Crater Face?"

Both Frost and Verde chuckled slightly. Ruby glared at them, and said, "Hey, that explosion was an accident!"

Juane then said, "Well the name's Juane Arc. Short, sweet, rolls of the tongue, ladies love it."

Verde responded, "You sure do speak very highly of yourself."

Frost saw past his words, and said, "They don't do that, do they?"

Juane hastily said, "They will! Or at least, I hope they will...I mean, my mom always says that..." He then dismisses his statement, and said, "Never mind."

Silence fell over the four of them. Ruby broke the silence with, "Soooo, I got this thing." She pulled out her scythe, and unsheathes the blade, sticking it into the cobblestone path. Juane jumped back, and said, "Whoa! Is that a scythe?"

Ruby then said, "It is also a customizable, high impact velocity sniper rifle."

Juane tilted his head, confused. Verde then explained, "It is also a gun."

Juane responded, "Oh, that's cool!" He looks at Verde and Frost, and asked, "What do you guys have?"

Verde unbuckled the strap from his pugil stick, and held it up, and transformed it into dual sided scythe. Verde then said, "Just like Ruby's, it is also a sniper. Only difference is that it is semi-automatic."

Frost pulled his elbow blades out. He then explained, "Two revolvers with half foot blades attached. Not great at range, but definitely packs a punch."

Ruby then asked Juane, "So, what do you got?"

"Me?" Juane said. He reached down to his side, and said, "Well I got this sword." He pulls it out of his sheathe. It appeared to be a straight blade with a simple cross guard.

Verde and Ruby moved her eyes up and down the sword in admiration. Frost looked at it, as if he recognized the blade. Juane then said, "I also got this shield." He grabbed his sheathe, and the edges of it jutted out of its original form, taking the form of a heater shield. Ruby asked, "What do they do?" As she said that, she touched the shield gently, and the shield went back into its sheathe state. It bounced out of Juane's hands, surprising him. It bounced for a couple of seconds, until finally ceasing. Juane then picked it up, and turned it back into a sheathe. He then explained, "Well, the shield gets smaller, so when I get tired of carrying it, I just put it away."

Confused, Frost asked, "Wouldn't it weigh the same?"

Juane sighed, and said, "Yeah, it does."

Ruby then explained, "Well, I'm kind of a dork when it comes to weapons. I mean, I went a little overboard in designing it-"

Juane interrupted, and asked with his amazement, "Wait, you built that?"

Ruby answered, "Of course! All students at Signal forge their own weapons."

Frost nodded, and said, "Same for Sanctum Academy, in Mistral."

Verde then asked, "Didn't you make yours?"

Juane explained, "It's a hand-me-down. My great-great-grandfather used it to fight in the war."

Ruby then said, "Sounds like a family heirloom to me. But I like it!"

Frost then said, "Not many people take an appreciation to the classics these days."

Juane nodded, and said, "Yeah, the classics."

They continued walking. Ruby then asked, "Why did you help me back there, in the courtyard?"

Juane answered, "Why not? My mom always said that strangers are just friends you haven't met yet."

Ruby and the others nodded. She then asked, "Hey, do you know where we're going?"

Juane answered, "I dunno, I was following you." They then both chuckled sheepishly. Frost sighed, and said, "Follow me, I know where to go." Frost took the lead, and led them through the campus grounds.

Frost led them to a room that was filled with other students. A stage was at one end of the room, and the students were in front of it, waiting for an announcement. They all walked in, and Ruby and Frost heard a voice call out to them, "Ruby, Frost! Over here! I saved you a spot!"

Ruby looked at Juane, and said, "Oh, I got to go! That's my sister. Come on Frost!" Ruby and Frost then both walked to her sister. Before Juane could tell her to wait, she was gone, along with Frost. He sighed, and said, "Great...where am I supposed to find another nice, quirky girl to talk to..."

Verde responded with, "Don't sweat it. Let them find you." They then walked towards the stage.

Yang, Frost, and Ruby stood, and waited for the announcement. Ruby looked a bit angry as well. Yang then asked, "How's your first day going little sister?"

Angry, Ruby snapped back, "You mean since you ditched me and I exploded?!"

Not realizing what she started, Yang then said, "Yikes, meltdown already?"

Frost answered for Ruby, "In a way...yes."

Yang looked at them both, and then asked, trying to not smile, "Are you being sarcastic?"

Ruby scoffed, "Ugh, I wish! I tripped over some crabby girl's luggage, and then she yelled at me, then I sneezed, then I exploded! And then she yelled at me again, and I felt really, really bad, and I wanted her to stop yelling at me!" Behind her, she hears a sharp, "You!" She turned, to see Weiss once again, with her bodyguard, Jecht. Ruby jumped into Yang's arms, and said, "Oh god, it's happening again!"

Weiss then yelled, "You're lucky we weren't blown off the side of the cliff!"

In her realization, Yang said, "Oh my god, you really exploded."

Ruby got out of her arms, and said, "It was an accident, I swear!" Weiss snapped, and Jecht handed her a pamphlet with the title _Dust for Dummies_. and Weiss held it out, in front of Ruby's face. "What's this?" Ruby asked.

Weiss explained, "The Schnee Dust Company is not responsible for any injuries or damages sustained while operating a Schnee Dust Company product." She continued, but it spun circles around the three of them. Ruby simply said, "Uuuhhh."

Weiss then bluntly stated, "You really want to start making things up to me?"

With haste, Ruby said, "Absolutely."

Weiss forced the pamphlet into Ruby's hands, and said, "Read this, and don't ever speak to me again."

Yang, trying to help the situation, said, "Look, it looks like you two got off on the wrong foot! Why don't you just start over and try to be friends, okay?"

"Yeah! Great idea, sis." Ruby responded. She turned back to Weiss, and held her hand out. She then said to her, "Hello Weiss, I'm Ruby. Want to hang out? We can go shopping for school supplies!"

With much sarcasm in her voice, Weiss responded, "Yeah! And we can paint our nails, and try on clothes, and talk about cute boys, like tall, blonde, and scraggly over there!"

Juane then looked over, as he figured they were talking about him. Looking past the sarcasm, Ruby exclaimed, "Oh wow, really?!"

Weiss then glared at her, and simply put it, "No." Weiss then turned away from her. As she did, microphone feedback can be heard. Everyone looked to the stage, where Ozpin stood, along with Glynda. Ozpin cleared his throat, and said, "I'll keep this brief. You have traveled here today in search of knowledge. To hone your craft and aquire new skills. And when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you, and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose, direction. You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge will only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step.

Ozpin then walked off the stage. Glynda took his spot, and announced, "You will gather in the ballroom tonight. Tomorrow, your initiation begins. Be ready. You are dismissed." Murmurs can be heard through the crowd. Yang then said, "He seemed kind of off..."

Ruby added, "It's almost like he wasn't there..."

Frost then explained, "I am sure he just has a lot on his mind. He is headmaster, after all."

Juane snuck up beside Weiss, and said promptly, "I'm a natural blonde, y'know?"

Weiss then put her hand towards her head in disappointment, realizing what she may have started.


	10. Chapter 10: First Night

Night falls over Beacon. The first year students all gathered in the ballroom, just as Glynda Goodwitch ordered. Many are trying to go to sleep, but a few stragglers remained awake, including Ruby. Ruby is laying on her mat, in her red and black pajamas. She is writing in a little notebook. "It's like a big slumber party!" Yang said with excitement, as she fell down onto her sleeping bag.

Ruby remarked, "I don't think Dad would approve of all the boys though..."

Yang winked, and replied, "I know I do." She then scanned all the boys in the ballroom, most of them shirtless. Yang then looked down at Ruby's writing. She then asked, "What's that?"

Ruby answered, "A letter to the gang, back at Signal. I promised to tell them all about Beacon and how things are going."

Yang replied with a whimsical tone, "Aww, that's so cuuuuuute!"

"Shut up!" Ruby replied, while throwing a pillow at Yang's face. Ruby continued with an annoyed tone, "I didn't get to take my friends with me to school. It's weird not knowing anyone here."

Yang then asked, "What about Frost, Verde, and Juane? They seem nice!"

Ruby flipped herself over, and looked to the ceiling. She then said, "Pretty sure Weiss counts as a negative friend..."

Yang then explained, "There's no such thing as negative friend. You just made one enemy." In annoyance, Ruby threw another pillow at Yang's face. Yang pulled it off her face, and said, "Look, it's only been one day. Trust me, you got friends all around you. You just haven't met them yet." A match lighting can be heard on the far side of the ballroom. Ruby sat up, and saw the girl from the courtyard lighting a candelabra. She shook the match, extinguishing the flame, and she continued to read.

"That girl..." Ruby exclaimed.

"You know her?" Yang asked.

Ruby explained, "Not really...she saw what happened this morning, but left before I could say anything."

Yang stood up from her sleeping bag, and said, "Welp, now is your chance!" She then grabbed Ruby's arm.

"Wait! What are you doing?!" Ruby exclaimed as her sister pulled her along. Ruby tried to release Yang's grip, but to no avail. The girl looked over the edge of her book, and saw both Yang and Ruby walking towards her. Yang said in a vocal voice,

"Helllloooooo! I believe you two may know each other?"

The girl looked at Ruby, and said, "Aren't you the girl that exploded?"

"Uh, yeah." Ruby said. "My name's Ruby." She held her hand out, but the girl went back to reading her book. She pulled it back, and anxiously rubbed the back of her head. She then said, "But you can just called me crater..." Thinking that was not the best idea, she recalled her statement, and instead said, "Actually, you can just call me Ruby."

Not looking up from her book, she responded bleakly, "Okay."

Yang whispered to Ruby, "What are you doing?!"

Ruby whispered back, "I dunno, help me!" They then both smiled at the girl. Yang then continued for Ruby, "So, what's your name?"

The girl made a short sigh, and answered, "Blake."

Yang then said, "Well Blake, I'm Yang! Ruby's older sister!" She then complimented, "I like your bow!"

Once again in a bland tone, Blake said, "Thanks."

Yang continued, "It goes great with your pajamas."

"Right." Blake said.

Yang and Ruby both chuckled awkwardly. Yang tried to continue, "Nice night, don't you think?"

Blake, getting tired of the conversation, said, "Yes, it's lovely. Almost as lovely as this book, that I will continue to read as soon as you leave." She then moved her eyes back to her book.

Tired of the conversation as well, Yang said to Ruby, "Yeah, this girl's a lost cause."

Not listening to Yang, Ruby asked Blake, "What's it about?"

"Huh?" The girl exclaimed, surprised at what Ruby asked.

Ruby then asked, "You book, does it have a name?"

Blake then explained, "Well, it's about a man with two souls, each fighting control over his body."

"Oh yeah, that's real lovely..." Yang said, not really too interested in the conversation.

Ruby continued, "I love books. Yang used to read to me every night before bed. Stories of heroes...and monsters. They're one of the reasons I want to be a huntress."

Blake, stifling a small chuckle, asked, "Why is that? Hoping you'll live happily ever after?"

Ruby answered, "I'm hoping we all will. As a girl, I wanted to be just like those heroes in the books. Someone who fought for what is right, and to protect people who couldn't protect themselves."

Surprised, Blake said, "That's very ambitious for a child." She looked away, in almost a deep sadness. She continued, "Unfortunately, the real world isn't the same as a fairy tale."

Ruby then explained, "Well, that's why we're here. To make it better."

Yang, in her whimsical mood again, grabbed Ruby, and said, "Ohh I'm so proud of my baby sister!"

Ruby exclaimed, "Ugh, cut it out!" She then started to throw punches, trying to get out of Yang's grip.

Blake then said, "Ruby, Yang, it's a pleasure to-" She was interrupted, when an annoyed Weiss walks over, and exclaimed, "What's going on here?! Don't you realize some of us are trying to sleep?!"

She then noticed Ruby, and Yang noticed Weiss. They then both said, "Oh not you again!"

From the other side of the ballroom, while they are arguing, Frost gets out of his sleeping bag, and walks outside, to clear his head, and to get away from the argument. He walks out into the courtyard. He looks up into the night sky, reminiscing times with his family. He hears his sister's faint laugh, and feels a faint touch of his mother's love.

He reaches down his shirt, and pulls out a necklace. It has a illuminating blue ice dust crystal, glowing in the moonlight. He studies the necklace carefully, careful to not damage it. As he did, he hears footsteps behind him. He turns, to see another soul, trying to get away from the argument. He had dark purple hair, and just like the other boys in there, had his shirt off. He said solemnly, "Sorry. Didn't realize someone else as out here."

Easing his tension, Frost loosened up, and said, "It is alright. I guess you are here the same reason I am?"

The guy said, "Yep. Trying to escape the argument." He walked to Frost. He held his hand out, and said, "Shade Crocus."

Frost shook his hand, and responded, "Frost Aquila."

Shade then let go, and stood beside Frost. He then said, "Beautiful night, huh?"

Frost nodded in agreement.

Shade then asked Frost, "What brings you to Beacon?"

Confused, Frost looked at Shade. Shade explained, "Everyone who comes to the academies is brought by one thing, whether it be power, fame, or fortune."

Frost looked back at the moon. He simply answered, "I strive to extend my knowledge of the world around me." He looks at Shade, and asked, "How about you? You seem pretty keen on making it through these years."

Shade thought for a second. He answered back, "Well, my time as a farmhand was more or less boring. I wanted to do something with my life, much like my father."

Frost responded, "You want to better yourself."

Shade nodded. He asked, "I saw you earlier with that chick with the scythe. Is she a friend, or...something else."

Frost, getting a tiny bit flustered, quickly said, "N-no! Nothing like that. I only met her the other day, actually. We fought off these robbers at a dust shop."

Shade chuckled and nodded, and said, "Yeah, I saw it on the news. Quite the thrashing you and her gave them."

Frost responded, "She did most the work, actually. I arrived a little late."

Surprised, Shade exclaimed, "Wow. For such a young girl to actually stop a robbery in its tracks..."

"Yeah, Ruby certainly is something..." Frost said, thinking back to the conversation they had that day. They both then fell silent. Shade broke it, and said, "Well, I better get some sleep. You ought to get some too. We have a big day tomorrow."

Frost nodded, and said, "Yeah." He followed Shade back into the ballroom, and went to his sleeping bag, and swiftly went to sleep.


	11. Chapter 11: Initiation Day

A new day dawns over Vale and Beacon. Every student is up, and in various spots, some in the mess hall, some in the locker room. Frost walks to his locker, followed by Yang and Ruby. Frost types in the code into the locker, and it opens up. He grabs his elbow blades. He flips the the revolver drum open, to check if it is fully loaded. Each slot has a bullet inserted, ready to fire. He closes it, and checks the other one. Same thing. He closes it. He slips on the leather holster, and inserts the two blades in the holster.

Yang and Ruby equip their own weapons. Yang slides two bracers on her arms, and Ruby stands at her locker door, loading in bullets into her magazines. Yang turns to Ruby, and said, "You seem awfully chipper this morning."

Ruby answered, "Yep. No more small talk and 'getting to know you' stuff." She pulls her scythe out, and continued, "This time, I get to let my sweetheart do the talking." She then started to hug her scythe in its condensed form.

Yang broke Ruby's swoon by saying, "Well, Ruby, remember you're not the only one going through initiation. If you want to grow up, you're gonna have to meet new people and learn to work together."

Frost walked towards them, whilst saying, "Yang is correct, albeit I am not too thrilled myself."

Ruby then asked, "What makes you say that?"

Frost answered, "I've mostly worked by myself. Whenever I work with someone else, someone is bound to get hurt."

Yang then asked them both, "But what about when we form teams?"

Ruby rubbed her head, and answered, "I dunno...I just thought I would be on your team, or something."

Yang responded, "Maybe you should try and be on someone else's team."

Ruby walked towards Yang, with a suspicious frown on her face. "My dearest sister Yang, are you implying that you do not wish to be on the same team as me?!"

Stammering, Yang responded, "W-what? No! Of course I do, I just thought it would help you break out of your shell."

Hurt by Yang's words, Ruby responded, "What the?! I don't need to break out of my shell, that is absolutely-" She was cut off, when Juane walked past them, and he said, while holding a sheet of paper, "Ridiculous! There is no way I put my gear in locker 636 yesterday! I would've remembering having to count that high!" He walked past Weiss and Jecht, and another girl. Jecht was loading up his sniper whilst Weiss was talking with another girl.

The girl was wearing brown corset, with a strip of lighter brown in the center, and has a black mini-skirt, and black gloves on each arm. She also wore bronze greaves, starting at her mid-thigh, and went down to form boots. She also wore bronze bracer on her left arm as well, taking up most space on her arm. Her scarlet hair was tied in a ponytail, going down to reach her thigh, and finally, atop her head, was a bronze circlet.

Weiss asked, "So, Pyrrha. Have you had any thought to who's team you would like to be on? I'm sure everyone must be eager to unite with such a strong, well known individual such as yourself."

Pyrrha thought for a second, before answering, "I'm not quite sure. I was planning on letting the chips fall where they may."

Weiss responded, "Well, I was thinking maybe we could be on a team together."

Pyrrha replied, "That sound's grand!"

Weiss turned away, almost in a scheming way. Jecht looked at her, but simply rolled his eyes. Juane walked towards them, and said, "You know what else is great? Me, Juane Arc, nice to meet you."

Aggravated, Weiss said, "You again?"

Pyrrha then said, "Nice to meet you, Juane."

Juane simply pushed her aside, and continued with Weiss, "Yeah, so, Weiss, I couldn't help but overhear your fondness of me the other day."

Weiss once again placed her head in her hand. She then said, "You got to be kidding me." She then turned to Jecht, to request help, but Jecht was gone. She groaned with frustration turned back to Juane, who then said, "No need to be embarrassed. So, I've been hearing rumors about teams! I was thinking you and me would make a good one. What do you say?"

Pyrrha entered the conversation again with, "Actually, I think teams consist of four students each, so-"

Juane interrupted with, "You don't say?" He then slid over next to Pyrrha, and continued, "Well, hot-stuff, play your cards right and maybe you could join up with the winning team."

Weiss quickly put herself in between them, and pushed them both away from each other. Weiss then said, "Juane, is it? Do you have any idea who you're talking to?"

Juane answered, "Not in the slightest, Snow Angel."

Weiss finally introduced them, "This is Pyrrha."

"Hello again!" Pyrrha said with a cheerful voice.

Weiss then said, "Pyrrha graduated top of her class at Sanctum."

"Never heard of it." Juane responded.

Weiss scoffed, "She won the Mistral Regional Tournament four years in a row, a new record!"

Weiss simply growled. Jecht returned, and finally said, "She is on the cover of every single Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow flakes box."

With realization, Juane gasped, he then said, "That's YOU?! They only do that for star athletes and cartoon characters!"

Pyrrha explained, "Yeah, it was really cool, sadly the cereal isn't really good for you."

Weiss responded, "So after hearing all of this, do you think you are in a position to ask her to be on your team?"

Juane looked down. He then said, "I guess not...I'm sorry."

Pyrrha walked over to Juane, and placed her hand on his shoulder. She then said, "Actually, Juane, I think you would make a great leader."

Juane looked back up, with life back in his eyes, "Oh stop it!" He said.

Weiss then said, "Seriously, please stop it. This kind of behavior should not be encouraged!"

Juane slid back over to Weiss, and said, "Sound's like Pyrrha's on board with Team Juane. Spots are filling up quick. Now I'm not supposed to do this, but maybe I could pull some strings, call in a few favors, what do you say?" He then leaned in close to Weiss's face.

Done with the conversation, Weiss finally said, "Alright, that's a bit too close!" She looked past Juane to Pyrrha, and said, "Pyrrha, a little help please?"

Juane turned, but as he did, a spear flew through the air, and into Juane's hoodie. He was pulled by the spear, until he hit a wall, pinning him. Pyrrha exclaimed, "I'm sorry!"

The intercomm finally came on, and it said, "Would all first year students please report to Beacon Cliff for initiation." Students then started to make there way. Pyrrha walked to Juane, and pulled the spear out of the wall. Pyrrha also said, "It was nice meeting you." She then walked out the door, along with Weiss and Jecht. Juane fell to the floor, and said, "Likewise..."

Yang, Frost, and Ruby walked to Juane. Yang said to him, "Having some trouble, lady killer?"

Juane sighed, and said, "I don't understand...My dad said all women look for is confidence...where did I go wrong..." Ruby held her hand out, and Juane grabbed it. She then pulled him up.

Frost then said, "Glad to see Pyrrha is doing well."

Ruby asked, "You know her?"

Frost nodded. "Yeah, we were friends back at Sanctum before I had to move. We kept in contact every now and again."

Ruby asked, "You went to Sanctum?"

Frost responded, "Yep. Three years ago, before Ozpin took me in."

Yang then responded, "You sure got a story to tell us then."

Frost remarked, "Another story for another day." The four of them then all went to Beacon Cliffs.


	12. Chapter 12: Landing Strategy Fiasco

The first group of first year students arrived at Beacon Cliffs, overlooking the Emerald Forest. The students all stood on stone slabs, and Ozpin and Glynda stood in front of them. Ozpin said, "For years you have trained to become warriors, and today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest."

Glynda took over his speech with, "Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of teams. Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates...today."

Ruby makes a slight scared noise.

Ozpin continued, "These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well."

Ruby makes another anxious noise.

Ozpin continued, "That being said, the first person you make contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."

In an instant, Ruby's hope had shattered. "What?!" She yelled out, with despair.

Frost emits a slight chuckle, from hearing Ruby.

"See? I told you!" Said another girl to a boy, farther down the line of students.

Ozpin continued, "After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path, or you will die."

Juane chuckles nervously, and he makes a massive gulp.

"You will be monitored and graded for the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene. You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair must choose one, and return to the top of the cliff. We will regard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately. Any questions?" Ozpin finally finished.

Juane slowly raises his hand, and said, "Yeah, um, sir-"

He was cut off, when Ozpin said, skipping Juane's question, "Good! Now take your positions." The students then all stood ready, many with their weapons out.

"Um sir? I got a question." Juane said, without the slightest clue about what is to come. Starting from the far right end, starting with Weiss, the stone slab shot forward, catapulting Weiss through the sky. One by one, students would get shot through the sky.

Juane continued, "So this landing strategy thing...uh, what is it? You're, like, dropping us off, or something?"

Ozpin answered, "No. You will be falling."

Juane continued, "Oh, I see. So, like, did you hand out parachutes, or something?"

Ozpin answered that question, "No, you will be using your own landing strategy."

"Uh huh..." Juane responded, still extremely confused.

Yang looks to Ruby, and winks to her, for good luck. She then slips on some shades, and she gets shot through the air, followed by Ruby, and then Frost. Juane realized he was up next. He quickly then asked, "What exactly is a landing strateg-" He was cut off, when the slab shot him through the air. Ozpin turned, to see the new students he has successfully thrown off a cliff, without any penalty. He smiles slightly, and takes a sip of his coffee.


	13. Chapter 13: Touchdown

Just seconds after being launched in the sky, the students start to make their decent. Ruby pulls her sniper out, and fired three shots, slowing her decent. She then flips around, and switched it to her curved scythe. The blade caught onto a branch, and it swung her across.

Weiss readies her rapier. She twirls in the air, and a glyph appears several feet under her. She lands on it, and jumps across with ease.

Frost torpedoed through the air. Being lighter than most of the other students, he goes farther. He has his eyes set on a large tree, straight ahead from him. He readies his two blades, and he sticks them into the tree, suspending him from the air. He then pulls the blades out, and falls to the forest floor.

Verde has his knees tucked into his stomach, making him into a literal cannon ball. He changes his skin from flesh to metal in an instant. He crashes to the forest floor, and stops when he hits a tree. He stands up slowly, dizzy from his flight.

Shade flies with his katana hilt next to his head, and his blade out. He aims for a tree in front. When only a few meters from it, he slashes, sticking his blade into the tree, and he lands on a branch. He stands on it, proudly. He then said to himself, "This is easier than I thought." As he muttered those words to himself, the branch from under him snaps off, leaving him hanging several dozen feet from the air. He looks down, and sighed. He then muttered, "Never should've jinxed it..." He pulls the trigger in his katana handle, firing the shotgun, point-blank into the tree. It pulls him out, and he lands safely.

Jecht pulls out a sniper from his back, with a bayonet hinged to it. He looks to his right, to see Weiss land safely. Jecht then looks back in front of him, and breathes deeply. He thinks to Weiss and her semblance. He then twirls, just like her, and made a glyph under himself, copying Weiss's semblance. He jumps off of it, and on the forest floor with ease. He takes a minute to catch his breath, regaining his aura little by little.

Yang fires her gauntlets from behind, propelling her through the air. She shouts with joy, as she flies through the air at fast speeds. She dodges trees with ease, and just having a fun time with makeshift flying. She then turns, pulling her knees in. She fires straight forward. It sends her into a tree, but seconds later, she blasts through it. She then wall jumps from tree to tree, until she touched the forest floor. She tucked and rolled, and stood back up, all in one movement. She then said, "Nailed it."

Pyrrha has her spear as a sword. She holds it away from her body, and holds her shield close to her body. She plows through trees, snapping them. She then tucked her legs in, and rolled onto a branch. She stood up, and changed her sword into a rifle. She looks down the sights, scanning the area. She looks around, and sees Juane, flying through the air without any control. She then twirls it in her right hand, and it transforms into a spear. The point of it comes out of the butt of the gun, making a sharp edge. She holds her other hand out, parallel to the blade, as a guide. She then pulls the spear back, and as she throws it to help Juane, she pulls the trigger, making it go farther and faster. Seconds later, Juane yelled, "Thank you!"

Pyrrha yelled back, "I'm sorry!"

All the students have landed, and the search for the forest temple begins. Ruby lands from being in a tree. She thinks to herself, _"Gotta find Yang_." She then races across the forest floor, with one thing set in her mind. She starts calling out, "Yang! Yaaaaaang!"

She continues thinking, " _Ugh, this is bad, this is really bad. What if I can't find her? What if someone finds her first?"_ She thinks about the other students. _"Well, there's always Juane. He's nice, he's funny!"_ She then remembers his weapon, and continued, _"I don't think he is very good in a fight though..."_ She thinks to the other students. _"Oh! What about Blake? So calm...so mysterious...plus she likes books! I don't think I would be able to hold a conversation with her..."_ Once again, she thinks hard. _"Wait, what about Frost? Patient yet bold. However...he seems like he would only have the mission on his mind...who else do I know at this school? Juane, Blake, Frost, and..."_ She then escaped her thought, and saw a person in front of her. She skids to a halt, and the person turns. It was Weiss. There eyes then met. Weiss simply frowned at the situation, but Ruby smiled slightly. Weiss turned, and started walking away angrily.

Ruby remarked, "Wait! Where are you going?!" She then looked down, with disappointment in her eyes. She kicked the ground gently, and said to herself, "We're supposed to be teammates..."

Weiss walks through a small thicket. Her skirt got stuck several times whilst trying to get through. She made it through, and brushed off any excess sticks and leaves that continued to stay. As she did, she heard struggling above her. She looked up, to see Juane pinned to a tree by Pyrrha's spear. He struggles to pull it out. He looks down, and notices Weiss. He slowly waves, and chuckles sheepishly. She then turned and walked back through the thicket. A disappointed Ruby was then surprised when Weiss grabbed her hood, and started dragging her. Weiss then said with an angered tone, "By no means does this make us friends..."

Ruby exclaimed, "You came back!" She then continued to get dragged. Juane yelled to them, "Wait! Come back! Who's gonna get me down from here?!"

"Juane?" A familiar voice called from below him. He looked down to see continued, "Do you...have any spots on your team?"

Juane crossed his arms, and said, "Very funny..." He didn't keep his frustrated face for long, as he then looked back down at Pyrrha, and smiled, and she smiled back.

Frost walks the forest floor. To spins his blades in both of his hand, keeping in rhythm with his footsteps. He hears a branch snap near him. He stops, and readies his guns. He looks in the direction of the sound, and squinted, to see what it was. A low growl could be heard then. Frost then took his revolver, and fired one shot towards the noise."Whoa!" A voice emitted from the brush. A familiar green strip of hair can be seen, as the person stands.

"Verde?" Frost said, surprised at who emerged. Verde stood up, holding the bullet fired from his revolver, with his arm encased in metal. Verde chuckled, and said, "Better be careful with your trigger finger."

Frost sighed, and asked, "What was that growling then?"

Verde answered, "I am hungry." Silence fell over the two of them. Frost simply face-palmed himself. Frost then looked at Verde, and asked, "Did I hurt you?"

Verde chuckled once again, and answered, "Nope. My semblance has got me covered. Literally." Frost looks at his arm, to see it encased in metal. It then turns back to normal. Verde then dropped the bullet. He then smirked, and said enthusiastically, "Ready to go, partner?" He started to walk. Frost once again sighed, and placed his head in his hand. He then looked back up, and stifled a small chuckle. He then followed Verde.

Shade walks the forest floor, bored out of his mind, and sweating pretty hard. He takes his hat off, and wipes the sweat off of his brow. He then starts to place his hat upon his head, but his wolf ears twitch. He looks around slowly, but nothing made a sound. Shade simply shrugs, and places his hat on his head. Once he did, a beowolf jumped out from the bush, aimed at Shade. Shade simply smirked. He then took his katana, and slashed upwards, completely slicing the beowolf in half. Shade chuckled slightly, and he holstered his katana. As he did, however, one more beowolf jumped out, about to pounce on Shade.

Before Shade could get his katana out, a shot rang out, and a bullet went through the beowolf's head. The force of the bullet pushed it away from Shade, missing him completely. Shade looks to his left, and sees a smokey barrel of a sniper rifle. The man stood up. It was Weiss's guardian, Jecht. Jecht pressed a button, and changed it from the sniper into a falchion sword. "Um, thanks." Shade said, somewhat surprised.

"No problem, sir." Jecht responded.

Shade chuckled slightly, and responded, "Only my father goes by 'Sir'. Call me Shade."

Surprised at Shade's hospitality, Jecht simply just nodded, but was extremely confused as well. "What's your name?"

Jecht answered, "Jecht Fremont."

Shade looked at his features, and the outfit he as wearing. He then remarked, "Oh, you must be that snobby girl's guardian."

Jecht sighed, but even he stifled a chuckle. Jecht answered, "Yeah..."

Shade than asked, "How can you keep a level head around her?"

Jecht took a minute of silence to figure his answer. He answered, "I have never gotten along with her. However, I would hate to see anyone else die. So I put aside my personal feelings to keep her safe."

Shade nodded, noticing the true emotion of his statement. He remarked, "Well spoken." He started walking. He then said, "Come on. At this rate, we may make it to the forest temple by early afternoon." Jecht nodded, and he followed Shade.

"I will not let my mission be delayed because you're too slow." Weiss said, while walking somewhat agressively away from Ruby. Ruby followed her behind. Weiss then muttered, "I swear, if I get a bad grade because of your-" She was cut off, when Ruby burst into rose petals, and moved faster than the eye can see. She stopped in front of Weiss, who was surprised. Ruby then said with a cheery voice, "I'm not slow! You don't have to worry about me."

Weiss than started asking, "When did-"

Once again, she was cut off, when Ruby remarked, "Weiss, just because I don't exactly know how to deal with people, doesn't mean I don't know how to deal with monsters." She then moved beside Weiss, and wrapped her arm around her shoulder. Ruby continued, "You're about to see a whole new side of me today, Weiss! And after it's all over, you're gonna be like, 'Wow! That Ruby girl is really, really, cooooool." She then paused, until saying quickly, "And I wanna be your friend!" She then burst into more rose petals, and rushed into the brush of the undergrowth.

Weiss waved away the rose petals from her face. She looked around, before yelling out to her, "You may be fast, but you still excel at wasting time!" It went silent. Weiss began to worry a little. She then called out, "Ruby?" She heard leaves rustling near. She called out again, but growling came after. She then gasped, but stayed where she was. She looked around, and saw red, beady eyes staring at her. Seconds later, a beowolf stood up from the brush. Weiss once again yelled out, "Ruby!" However, the beowolf let out a deafening roar.

Yang walks along the forest floor. She looks around, whilst calling out, "Helloooooo? Is anybody out there?" No one called back. She then said, "I'm getting bored here!" She paused for a second, catching her breath. Behind her, the brush rustled. She turned, and asked, "Is someone there?" She walks to the brush, and moves away the leaves and sticks. She then said, "Ruby, is that you?" A low growl then was heard. Yang slowly looked up, and remarked, "Nope."

She rolled to the side away, from the thrush. As she did, an Ursa jumped out of the thrush, claws out. She readies her fists, and her bracers go completely over her wrist, creating shotgun gauntlets.

She look to her right, to see another Ursa charging. The ursa to her right attacked, but she flipped back. The Ursa then joined it's brethren. The previous Ursa charged at Yang. Prepared, Yang pulled her arm back, and thrust it forward whilst firing, sending the Ursa back with brutal force.

The other Ursa charged. Yang uppercutted it, and fired backwards, and kicked it away. Yang then asked, "You guys wouldn't happen to have seen a girl in a red hood, would you?" The two Ursai roared. Yang then responded, "You could just say no!" One Ursa then charged at her, aimed at her head. It swiped at her head. She stepped back with ease. It then raised it's other paw, and swiped. She flipped back, with the paw parallel to Yang's torso. She landed, and she even laughed.

She then remarked, "You two couldn't hit the broadside of a ba-" She was interrupted, when a strain of her yellow locks fell down in front of her. It landed on the ground. Yang then looked down and closed her eyes. You..." She said, with aggression in her tone. She opened her eyes, and her eyes went from lavender, to a deep red. The two Ursai grunted, confused at what she was doing. Yang threw her hands down, and yelled, "You monsters!" Her aura then lit up, almost like Yang was ignited. Yang rushed forward.

The Ursa was about to swipe, but Yang was too fast. She knocked it back with a forward punch, and uppercutted it while it was staggered. It was thrown into the air, but Yang was not done. She fired backwards, rushing at the same Ursa. Yang then unleashed a flurry of punches, punching every inch of the Ursa's body. She then did one final punch, sending it through trees, breaking them like twigs.

The other Ursa then ran to her. It stopped a short distance from Yang, and roared. Yang then said, taunting it, "What? You want some too?!" The Ursa growled, but before it could do anything, something flies through the air behind it. The Ursa stands still, and falls over. It crashes to the ground, and Blake stood behind it. She pulled the ribbon she was holding, and a pistol boomerang dislodged from the Ursa's back, and back into her hands. She then smirked at Yang. Silence fell over the two of them. Yang then responded, "I could have taken it."

However, they were not done. Rustling can be heard from the thrush, near them. Her eyes went back to red, and she cocked her shotgun, and fired. After she fired it, Shade walked out from the thrush. However, he was able to pull his katana out, and deflected the projectile.

Realizing her mistake, her eyes turned back to lavender, and she quickly said, "Oh, I am so sorry!" Followed behind Shade was Jecht. Shade simply looked at Yang's weapon. He then said, "Nice gauntlets."

Confused, Yang looked at her gauntlets. She said, "Um, thanks." Concerned, Yang then asked, "Are you alright?"

Shade smirked, and said, "Yeah, I'm fine." The two males then walked to Blake and Yang. Shade then said, "The name's Shade Crocus." He held his hand out.

Yang responded, "Yang Xiao Long." She then shook his hand.

Jecht introduced himself, "Jecht."

Blake then asked, "Aren't you that snobby girl's guardian?"

Once again, Jecht chuckled and responded, "Yeah, yeah I am."

Blake then introduced herself, "I'm Blake."

Yang then asked, "Have you guys find the temple yet?"

Shade shook his head, and responded, "No. We heard gunshots in this direction, and decided we would check it out." He then sees the dead Ursa, slowly disappearing. He then concluded, "Guess it was you two." He smirked, and continued, "Nice job."

Somewhat flustered, Yang responded, Awe, thanks!" She then asked them, "Want to join us? We haven't found the temple yet either."

Shade nodded, and said, "Sure. I believe they saying goes, the more the merrier."

Yang chuckled, and nodded. They then all started walking away from the dead Ursai, on their search for the Forest Temple.

Meanwhile, Weiss is still in a struggle against the beowolves. The rest of the pack came out from the thrush. Weiss was in the midst of them, trapped. She then swung her blade, readying her stance. She kept her head up, shoulders back, and her front foot forward. She then waited patiently. She slowed her breathing, waiting for the right time to strike. She then raised her rapier to the side of her head, pointed at the beowolf alpha. Her revolver cylinder in the base of the hand guard changed from grey, to red. She then rushed forward at high speeds.

However, Ruby came back from the brush with scythe in hand. She charged at the beowolf Weiss was targeting, and slashed at it, knocking back a little. Weiss realized this, and she tried to stop. She came to a halt, but she swung her blade, sending a fire arc to a tree. The tree was then engulfed by a flame. Ruby looked at Weiss, somewhat shocked. The beowolf took the time, and struck her, sending her back into Weiss. "Hey, watch it!" Ruby responded.

Weiss retorted, "Excuse me? You attacked out of turn, I could have killed you!"

Ruby then muttered, "You're gonna have to try a lot harder than that..." They both then stood, back to back. Ruby reloaded her magazine. She then cocked it, and pulled the scythe back, with the blade pointing out.

The flaming tree then fell, lighting other parts of the forest on fire. Out from the thrush, was Frost and Verde. Frost then yelled, "Come on, you two! We're leaving!" Verde and Frost both took out their guns, and fired onto the grimm, keeping them off of the girls. Weiss and Ruby ran past them, and shortly after, they followed. They reached a top of a hill, that overlooked the blaze. They all caught their breath, taking a break from the newly found chaos. Ruby then looked at Weiss, and said aggressively, "What was that?! That should have been easy!"

Weiss responded, "Well, perhaps if you had exercised even the slightest amount of caution with the placement of your strikes, I wouldn't have set the forest on fire!"

Frost intruded the conversation with, "Alright, it is obvious you two have been through a lot, but can we just continue the mission?"

Weiss turned her head to look him in the eye, and said with aggression, "We didn't ASK for your help!"

Frost responded calmly, "And yet you still listened." Weiss growled quietly, and started to walk away.

Ruby then responded with the same level of aggression, "Sorry you need help for a fight, I am just fine on my own!"

Weiss then said, "Well, congratulations on being the strongest child to sneak into Beacon!" She then turned, and started walking away. Ruby roared with rage, and she took her scythe, and completely sliced a tree from it's trunk. She then followed, extremely angrily. Frost and Verde both stood there, just watching. Frost sighed, and said, "I guess I did ask for this..."

Verde grabbed Frost's shoulder, and said, "Don't worry. I am with you in this."

Frost looked at Verde, and said, "Thanks Verde. Come on, we better follow them to make sure nothing else happens again." They then followed the girls in relative silence.


	14. Chapter 14: Race to the Forest Temple

**Hello again. I am sorry for not having posted yesterday, it was a busy day, and had a huge amount of Writer's Block. On another side note, while making my OCs a while back, one rule had slipped my mind for the naming of Teams. If you recall this rule, it states that the name has to be or sound like a color. Not realizing this, I tried long and hard to find a team name that would fit, but my characters have contrasting initials, but I did learn I could also use their LAST name. So, I decided to change Verde's last name from Valentine, to Rowan, to make my new Team name, which will be revealed soon. Though I was reluctant to, I want to follow the rules Roosterteeth had set for OCs. That being said, enjoy the fanfic.**

Pyrrha and Juane walk through the brush. Juane jumps at the sound of gunshots. Juane then asked, "Did you hear that?"

Pyrrha answered, "Gunfire. It seems some of our comrades have encountered the enemy." Pyrrha moved a branch out of her way. A clueless Juane was then struck by it when she let it go. It scratched him, and knocked him down. "Juane!" Pyrrha remarked, "I'm sorry."

Juane chuckled, and said, "It's okay. Just a scratch."

Pyrrha walked to him, and asked, "Why didn't you activate your aura?"

"My what?" Juane asked, clueless to what she was talking about.

"Your aura." Pyrrha repeated.

Not knowing what she was talking about, Juane said, "Gesundheit."

Pyrrha realized, and then asked, "Juane, do you not know what aura is?"

Juane scoffed, and he said with a somewhat blasphemous voice, "Of course I do! Do you know what aura is?"

Pyrrha looks past his lie. She smirked, and explained, "Aura is the manifestation of our souls. It bears our burdens and shields our hearts. Have you ever felt like you were being watched, without knowing that someone was there?"

Juane answered, "Uh, yeah."

Pyrrha continued, "With practice, our aura can be our shield. Everyone has it, even animals."

Juane then asked, "What about monsters?"

Pyrrha answered, "No. The monsters we fight lack a soul. They are Creatures of Grimm. The manifestation of anonymity. They are the darkness, and we are the light."

Understanding more, Juane then said, "Right. That's why we fight them."

Pyrrha then responded, "It's not about why. It's about knowing. Understanding both dark and light can help us manifest our auras. Everyone has some of both. By bearing our souls outwards as a force, you can deflect harm. All of our tools and equipment are conduits for aura. You project yourself and your soul with fighting."

Juane thought for a second, until he came to the conclusion, "It's like a force field!"

Pyrrha responded, "Yes, if you want to look at it that way." She then placed her hand upon Juane's right cheek. She then said, "Now close your eyes, and concentrate."

"Uh, okay." Juane responded, whilst closing his eyes. Pyrrha did the same. Once she did, both her and Juane started glowing. She then recited, "For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all. Infinite in distance and unbound by death, I release your soul, and by my shoulder, I protect thee." Pyrrha then dropped her arm, and she slouched down, out of breath.

Concerned, Juane remarked, "Pyrrha?"

Before Juane could ask, Pyrrha answered, "It's alright. I used my aura to unlock yours, but the energy that protects you is now your own." She then stood back up straight. She looked at the cut on Juane's cheek, and it went away in seconds. Pyrrha smirked, and remarked, "You have a lot of it."

Juane looked at his arms, noticing the glow for himself. Surprised, he simply said, "Wow..." The glow then faded away.

Back on the Beacon Cliffs, Ozpin and Glynda stood their, watching on several cameras placed within the forest, spying on the students, and their progress. Glynda said to Ozpin, "Our last pair has been formed, sir. Nora Valkyrie and Lie Ren...poor boy...I can't possibly imagine those two getting along. Still, he is probably better off than Miss Nikos. I don't care what his transcripts say, that Juane fellow isn't ready for this level of combat." She then sighed, and continued, "I guess we'll find out soon enough. At their current pace, they should reach the temple within just a few minutes."

After her statement, she then asked, "Speaking of which, what did you use for the relics this year?" Ozpin did not answer.

Glynda called out his name, but to no avail. He was too focused on his scroll. At the moment, he was watching Ruby, Weiss, Verde, and Frost.

"It's definitely this way." Weiss said, whilst walking past Ruby, Frost, and Verde. Weiss then turned back around, and said, "I mean, this way! It's definitely this way." She then walked back to the three, and said, "Alright, it's official. We past it."

Ruby then asked, "Why can't you just admit that you have no idea where you are going?"

Weiss scoffed, "Because I do know where I'm going! We are going to the Forest Temple."

Verde then said sarcastically, "Whaaaat? Really? Who would have thought?"

Weiss then remarked, "It would be better if I didn't have to listen to your sarcasm."

Verde then replied, "Can't help it. Just part of my character."

Weiss rolled her eyes. She then turned to Frost, and asked, "Hey, wolf-tail, you were here before the rest of us, do you know where it is?"

Looking past her racial slurs, he remarked, "I would be inclined to tell you if you didn't make fun of me for my heritage, or if I actually knew where it was to begin with."

Somewhat agitated, Weiss remarked, "You're telling me that the time you have spent at Beacon, you do not know where it is?"

Frost rolled his eyes, and responded, "You honestly think I followed Ozpin's every single move?"

"Well I think you would pay more attention to his motives!" Weiss remarked, somewhat hostile.

Frost responded, much more calmly, "Well sorry this wolf faunas has to be a disappointment to a heiress of a controversial company."

Weiss then remarked, more angry than ever, "Don't talk about the Schnee Dust Company like that!"

Verde intruded the conversation with, "Alright, it is obviously clear you two hate each other, but if you two keep at it, we will be here all day."

Frost sighed, and said, "Alright. I'll see if I can climb one of these trees, and get a better view of the land." Frost pulled out his elbow blades. He ran to the nearest tree, and jumped. He then put his blades into the tree, and slowly climbed it. Ruby then looked at Weiss, and asked, "What's your problem with Frost? He is just trying to help."

Weiss responded, "By trying to belittle my company?"

Verde sided with Ruby by saying, "Well, calling him wolf-tail didn't really help."

Weiss remarked, "Well I never remembered asking for his help!"

From above, Frost yelled back down, "I still can't see it!" He jumps down, landing next to Verde. "There has to be a better way to get higher than these trees." A loud screech was then heard. They all looked up, to see a giant crow grimm, flying overhead. Verde then said while smirking, "Jackpot."

Weiss cautiously remarked, "Isn't that dangerous? Riding a Giant Nevermore?"

Frost then responded, "Maybe, but dangerous is the way through this."

Ruby nodded, "I agree with them."

Weiss rolled her eyes, and reluctantly joined in their efforts. Verde and Ruby both unsheathed their massive scythes. Verde ordered, "Me and Ruby will fling you both towards the Nevermore, and we will join you soon after."

Frost agreed, "Sounds like a plan."

Hesitantly, nodded as well. Ruby and Verde both pulled their scythes back. Frost and Weiss both jumped onto the blade, and the other two simultaneously fired their scythe while levering their scythes, sending them sky high. Ruby looked to Verde, and said, "Alright, I think I can carry you while using my semblance to reach the bird."

Concerned, Verde questioned, "Are you sure? I may look light, but combine that with my dual bladed scythe, that is a hunk of metal by itself."

Ruby smirked, and remarked, "Just you watch." She then Grabbed Verde, and with her speed, she ran up a tree, and once at the top of its peak, it shot her towards the bird. She threw Verde, and they both fired their snipers, sending them farther. They all reached the Nevermore. They grabbed onto the feathers, holding on for dear life. Frost yelled, so the others could hear, "Alright, look for an ancient dilapidated stone structure! That should be where the relics are!"

Ruby and Verde both responded, "Got it." And so the search began.

While Ruby, Weiss, Verde, and Frost patrol the sky, Yang, Blake, Shade, and Jecht found themselves at a cliff edge. They looked down the cliff, and saw a somewhat destroyed temple. Yang asked, "Think this is it?"

Jecht studied it, and concluded, "Has to be. It is the only structure of it's kind in this quadrant."

They all jumped down, and walked into the temple. On the pedestals circling inside the temple, were black and white chest pieces. The four of them were confused, as to why these were the relics Ozpin must have been talking about.

"Chest pieces?" Blake said, in a very confused tone.

Shade looked around. Some pieces were missing. He then said, "Some others must have already grabbed their pieces. Guess it is our turn." They all nodded.

Meanwhile, Juane and Pyrrha reach an enterance to what appeared to be a cave. Outside the cave had some sketchy drawings. Juane looks into the cave, and asked, "Think this is it?" Pyrrha simply shrugged. Juane quickly made a makeshift torch, and the two of them walked in.

After a couple minutes of walking, Pyrrha remarks, "I don't think this is it..."

Juane sighed, and he responded, "Pyrrha, I made the torch...could you at least humor me for maybe five more feet?"

As he said that, his foot caught on a rough edge of the cave's rocky floor, and he tripped and fell. The torch flew out of his hands, and into water. Juane stood up, in a little bit of pain. After seconds of silence, Pyrrha asked, "Do you feel that?"

Juane, regretting his decision to come into the cave, responded, "Soul crushing regret?"

"No." Pyrrha answered. "It feels, warm."

The four at the temple browse at all the relics they could grab. Yang has her eyes on the White Knight piece. She studied it for a minute, before grabbing it, and saying, "How about a cute little pony?"

Blake then said, "Sure."

Jecht responded to the situation, "The Knight piece. A very weird piece, if I do say so myself."

Shade looks at all he pieces he has to choose. He noticed the biggest of the pieces, the White King piece. He grabbed it. Jecht walked next to him, and said, "The most important piece in chess. Must be protected at all costs from the enemy."

Shade turns to him, surprised, "You sure know a lot about chess."

Jecht answered, "I played it a lot as a kid."

Yang then said, "Well, that wasn't hard at all!"

Blake added to her statement, "It's not like this place is hard to find."

Shade agreed by stating, "Only a blind man wouldn't be able to find this place." They all then chuckled.

Back in the cave, Pyrrha and Juane go deeper. They continue, until a large glowing object illuminates in front of their faces. "That's the relic!" Juane exclaimed. Juane slowly reached out for the relic, until he jolted out to it. However, the relic moved back a bit. Juane remarked, "Hey, bad relic!" Juane tried to grab it again, but to no avail. He tried for a third time, successfully grabbing on.

"Juane?" Pyrrha said, knowing that is not a relic.

Juane was pulled closer, and in the illumination of the so-called "relic", was the beady eyes of a death stalker. Juane then let's out a terrifying scream.

Back at the temple, the four of them hear. Yang remarked, "Some girl's in trouble!"

Shade nodded, "Should we go help?"

Jecht shook his head, and said, "By the time we reached her, she would have been torn to shreds." Blake, however, looked blatantly up in the air.

Pyrrha runs out of the cave, with weapon in hand. Following her, the Death Stalker bashed through the cave entrance, with Juane still on it's tail. Juane yelled from on it, "It's not the relic! It's not! Help me Pyrrha!"

Pyrrha quickly advised, "Juane, whatever you do do not let-" She was cut off, when the Death Stalker flung it's tail harshly, flinging Juane off, and deeper into the forest. Pyrrha turned, and saw him flying. She turned back to the Death Stalker, who was ready to take a bite out of her. She smiled sheepishly, and then retreated.

Back in the air, Weiss yelled to the other three, "I knew this would be a terrible idea!"

Ruby yelled back, "We're fine! Stop worrying!"

Weiss retorted, "I am SO far beyond worrying!"

Confused, Ruby then asked, "In a good way?"

Weiss yelled back, with anger in her tone, "In a bad way! In a very bad way!"

Frost then interrupted, "Sorry to interrupt the conversation, but we are over the temple!"

Ruby then ordered, "Time to jump!"

Weiss scoffed, "What are you? Insane?!" As she said that, Ruby was gone in a second. Weiss looked at Frost and Verde. Verde shrugged whilst saying, "I believe the saying goes...YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE!" He jumps off as well, leaving Frost and Weiss. Weiss looked at Frost, and asked, "You aren't gonna leave me too, are you?!"

Frost, for once agreeing with the heiress, responded, "No, I am with you on this one."

"HEAD'S UP!" Ruby and Verde both yelled, while falling. While only a couple dozen feet from the ground, Juane came flying in. In mid air, he hit them both, sending them three of them flying into a tree. Ruby hit the trunk, and became dazed, along with Verde. Juane however, got his leg stuck in a branch, suspending him upside down. Blake then asked Yang, "Did your sister fall from the sky?"

Before Yang could answer, trees fell in front of them. An ursa appeared from it. Behind it, a pink explosion happened, and the grimm fell to the ground. Also from behind, a girl rolled off the back of the grimm.

The girl had short orange hair, while wearing a black collared vest, and under it were to more articles of clothing, layering with blue and red. She also has on a pink skirt, and to finish it, atop her vest is a white sleeveless top that has a cut out heart under her collar bone. She remarks, "Aww...it's broken." She promptly said, whilst also inspecting it. Another person, a boy, sporting a long ponytail, with one pink streak of hair on his left side of his head. He wears a dark green diagonally buttoned long sleeve tailcoat, with pink cuffs, and gold trimming, and also a pair of sleek white pants. He came around from behind it.

He laid his hands on one of the rugged spikes pertruding from the grimm's back. He slouched over, catching his breath. He then remarked, "Nora...please...don't ever do that again." He looked up, to see Nora, but she had run off. Ren looked around, only to see her already in the temple. Nora was looking at the White Rook Piece. She grabbed it, and started singing, "I'm queen of the castle! I'm queen of the castle!"

The boy then yelled, "NORA!"

The girl stopped in her tracks, and said, "Coming Ren!"

Jecht then entered the conversation with, "Did that girl just ride in on an ursa?"

Before Shade or Yang could answer, more trees started getting knocked down. Pyrrha appeared from them, and close behind her, the Death Stalker. It swiped at her, but she jumped through the pincer. She then called out, "Juane!"

Juane, still suspended from a tree, looked around, trying to get a visual on his teammate. Verde stood up, and started helping Juane out of the tree. "Whoa!" Ruby exclaimed, before jumping down. She tucked and rolled, landing next to Yang. "Ruby?" Yang exclaimed.

"Yang!" Ruby said back. They moved in for a hug, until Nora popped in between them, promptly saying, "Nora!" It surprised both of them.

At the same time, both Jecht and Blake said, "Did that girl just run all the way here with a Death Stalker on her tail?"

At her limit, Yang exploded in a fiery aura, and yelled, "I can't take it anymore! Could everyone just chill out for two seconds before something crazy happens again?!" Two seconds went by in silence. Yang finally calmed down, but Ruby looked up, and said, "Um, Yang?" Everyone then looked up, to see Frost and Weiss still on the nevermore. Weiss and Frost were both hanging on a talon of the Nevermore. Weiss yelled, "HOW COULD YOU LEAVE ME!?"

Frost looked around, and he said, "Well...as I have learned...you only live once." He then let go, and started falling, he pulled out his elbow blades.

Ruby said, disappointed, "I said jump..."

Blake then said, "She's gonna fall."

Ruby, thinking as an optimist, said, "She's alright."

Ren then stated with Blake, "She's falling."

Verde successfully helped Juane get unstuck. He stood on the branch with him. Juane looked ahead, and saw Weiss was falling. He smiled at the occasion, jumping in to help her. He jumped towards her. She gracefully landed in his arms. He then asked, trying to be smooth, "Just dropping in?" Weiss looked down, and had a fear expression on her face. Juane looked down as well, and had the same expression. "Oh god." He muttered, scared. The two of them then embraced each other.

Frost landed. He propelled himself back a little, with an air dust round. He then rolled, and he dusted himself. He then looked up however, and the same expression fell upon his face, but it was too late. Juane landed on him first. After him, Weiss fell on the both of them. Sarcastically remarked, "My hero..."

Juane and Frost both said, "My back..."

The Deathstalker finally reached Pyrrha, and it smacked her with it's pincer, sending her rocketing towards the temple. She landed in front of them all.

Yang responded to the situation, "Great, the gang's all here! Now we can die together!"

Shade nodded, "I'm down with that."

Ruby remarked, "Not if I can help it!" She then rushed towards the Deathstalker, while making a battlecry. Yang quickly said, "Ruby! Wait!" But it was too late. Ruby pulled her scythe out, and charged. She fired behind her, propelling her towards the Deathstalker. With ease, the Deathstalker slapped her and her scythe away with one swipe. Ruby stood up, and turned to the others. She then assured, "Don't worry! Totally fine!" She turned back around, to meet the Deathstalker once again. However, it's menacing glare and massive pincers made Ruby somewhat afraid.

Knowing what she has to do, she fired at it, propelling her backwards. She then sheathed her scythe, and ran away from the Deathstalker. The Deathstalker did not stop it's pursuit. It was hot on Ruby's tail, along with the Nevermore behind it. Yang started to run towards Ruby, to help her. Ruby looked behind, to see the Nevermore as well. From afar, the Nevermore cocked it's wings back, and then flung them forward, sending sharp and fatal feathers shooting towards the ground. One feather caught in the end of Ruby's cape, while the other's shot ahead, blocking Yang from her sister. Ruby tried to break through the feather, but to no avail. Yang yelled, "Ruby! Get out of there!"

Ruby yelled back, "I'm trying!" The Deathstalker eased closer and closer, until Ruby was in distance. The Deathstalker raised its tail, ready to thrust down. Ruby looked up in fear. Yang yelled, "RUBY!" A white blur ran past Yang, and to Ruby. Ruby closed her eyes, but only to hear the formation of ice. She then heard a voice, "You are so childish..."

Ruby opened her eyes, to see Weiss standing there, with her rapier in the ground.

Shocked, Ruby simply said, "Weiss...?"

Weiss continued, "And dimwitted, and hyperactive...and don't even get me started on your fighting style. And I suppose I can be a bit..." She thought for a second, until continuing, "Difficult...but if we're going to do this. We are going to have to do this together. So if you quit trying to show off, I'll be nicer."

Ruby explained, "I'm not trying to show off, I want you to know I can do this."

Weiss assured, "You're fine." She then walked back to the others. Ruby looked at the Deathstalker, and was shocked, to see it's whole tail encased in a block of ice. Frost walked to Ruby, with the feather still inside her cape. He took his elbow blade, and cut off the stem, and raised the cape out of it. He then helped Ruby up. She then asked, "How's your back?"

Frost answered, "In agonizing pain...but I'll live."

Yang than ran up to Ruby, and hugged her tightly. Ruby then gasped a tiny bit for air. Yang then said, with reassurance in her voice, "So glad you are okay!" The three of them looked up, and saw the Nevermore, who was returning for some more action.

Juane, exceeding caution, remarked, "Um, guys? That thing is circling back. What do we do?"

Weiss then explained, "Look...there's no sense in dilly-dallying. Our objective is right in front of us."

Ruby agreed, "She's right. Our mission is to grab an artifact, and make it back to the cliffs. There's no point in fighting these things."

Shade sighed, and responded, "While it saddens me to run away from a challenge...I am afraid that is our best option." Everyone then nodded in agreement. Ruby, Juane, and Frost all walked into the temple. Ruby grabbed the last white knight. Juane grabbed the last white rook. And Frost grabbed the last white king. They all looked at each other, with smiles upon their faces. Back at the Deathstalker, it growls, and pulls it's tail, and the ice starts to crack. Jecht warned, "We best be on our way."

Everyone agreed, and they started making their ways to the cliffs. Yang stayed behind, while watching Ruby. Shade and Blake ran beside her, and Blake asked, "What's wrong?"  
Yang, smiling to see how much her sister has grown, said, "Oh, nothing."

Shade, while running beside Frost, asked, "You doing okay?"

Frost answered, "I'll live, but let's save the concerns until after...I fear that this may not be over yet."

Verde, also running beside them, remarked, "At least we got the weaponry of a small army."

Jecht responded, "Being in the military, I can agree with that statement."

Shade nodded. He then said, "Let's all make it out then. All for one, one for all."

The other three nodded, and they made their way to the bridge.


	15. Chapter 15: Battle on the Bridge

The group ran to the bridge, with the Nevermore flying above them. The Nevermore flies over them, circling around the bridge. The group then disperses into teams of two. Each team hides behind one pillar. The Nevermore finishes circling the bridge, only to perch on a tower on the far side of the bridge. Yang remarked, "Well, that's just great!"

Shade responds, "Still, it could be worse." As he finished his statement, a loud rustle happens behind them. The Deathstalker crashes through the trees, ready for combat. Frost remarked, "Why did you just jinx us?!"

The teams escape from their hiding spots. The Nevermore screeches, and cocks it's wings back. Ren ordered, "Nora! Distract it!" Nora nodded, and they escaped as well from the pillar. Nora runs across the field vertically. The Nevermore fires fatal feathers. Nora jumps over one. She then flips on the ground, landing perfectly. She pulls out a grenade launcher from her back, and fires a few rounds at the Nevermore. The pink grenades fly towards the Nevermore, and they explode upon it's beak. The Deathstalker sneaks up behind Nora, ready to strike. Ren and Blake counter it, making it stagger back a tiny bit. Weiss grabs Nora by the waist, and she bounds away with a glyph. The others continue their trek across the bridge. Blake and Ren follow close behind.

The Deathstalker follows the students. They make it to the bridge itself. Pyrrha turns, pulling out her rifle. She ordered, "Go! Go!" She fires shots at it, and a second later, Ren helps her fire at it with his machine pistol blades. Their bullets simply bounced off of it's hard armor. It got into range, and it swung it's pincer, but they dodged, and continued running.

The Deathstalker could not reach them on the bridge, but the Nevermore has a trick up it's sleeve. Frost noticed it coming straight into the bridge, about to ram it. Frost remarked, "Everyone, brace!" The nevermore crashed into the side of the bridge, The students were then split up. Nora, Ruby, Yang, Weiss, Juane, Shade, and Frost on one side, Blake, Ren, Pyrrha, Verde, and Jecht were stuck on the other side with the Deathstalker. The students with the Deathstalker were not doing too well against it. Juane and Nora ran to the edge, and Juane remarked, "Man, we gotta get over there! They need help!"

Nora agreed, "Let's do this!"

Juane looked over the bridge edge, and responded, "Yeah, but, I can't make that jump!" Nora smirked. She then flung her grenade launcher back, hitting Juane back. She then pressed a trigger, and it slowly formed into a hammer. She twirled it, and held it up. She jumped up off the edge, and turned, ready to strike the bridge. Juane then said frantically, "No, wait!" It was too late. Nora struck the bridge, sending Juane flying. Nora rested her foot on her hammer, and pulled the trigger, shooting a grenade out, sending her flying towards the other side. She flew over the students, and smashed the Deathstalker head on. The Deathstalker raised it's tail, but before it could retaliate, Nora fired a grenade into it's armor, sending her back. The tail then struck the bridge, but missed her. She slid back, and knocked into Blake, knocking her down the bridge.

Blake quickly pulled out her boomerang, and she tossed while simultaneously firing it. It stuck into the stone of a pillar. She flew around the bridge, towards the Nevermore. She reached the Nevermore, and attacked it's beak. She then ran up onto it, and down it's back, while slashing her blade in several spots. She runs off of it's tail feathers, and onto the other side of the bridge, on a pillar.

Blake landed besides the rest of the group. She then said, "It's tougher than it looks!"

Yang remarked, "Then let's give it everything we got!" Weiss, Yang, Blake, Ruby, Frost, and Shade all stood, side by side. Each one of them took out their guns, and simultaneously started firing. The Nevermore barrels through their dust barrages and ammunition. It crashed into the side of the tower they were on, causing them to fall. They all rushed into action, getting back onto the bridge at all costs. They all reached back to the bridge, and they all caught their breath. Weiss remarked, "None of this is working!"

Ruby looked around. She noticed Blake with with her elastic ribbon and boomerang. She then notices Yang. She thought for a second, until saying, "I have an idea! Cover me, you three!"

Shade remarked, "Can do!" The three of them rushed into action.

On the other side, The Deathstalker struck the bridge again. It's tail went through the end of the bridge. Once it raised it's tail, the bridge started collapsing. Juane remarked, "We gotta move!" They all then charged at the Deathstalker. The Deathstalker threw it's pincer down, but Pyrrha blocked it with her shield, she retaliate with one hefty slash. The Deathstalker attacked with the other pincer, but Juane blocked it. Pyrrha jumped over him, and slashed. Verde and Jecht stayed back, keeping up the sniper fire. Ren charged at it, firing his machine pistols. The Deathstalker threw it's tail down, but Ren dodged it, and grabbed onto it. The Deathstalker raised the tail up, with Ren still on the end. Ren got his grip, and fired his gun. Nora changed her hammer back into a grenade launcher, and fired a few rounds.

The Deathstalker caught on, and he blocked the explosions with his pincers. The explosions pushed Juane and Pyrrha back. Pyrrha regained her footing, and she threw her spear towards the Deathstalker. It's tried to block, but Pyrrha's skinny spear went through the gap between it's pincer, and struck it's eye. It screeched with pain. It flung it's tail around, and while doing so, it knocked Ren off, and he smashed into a pillar, knocking him out. Juane stood up from being pushed back, and he noticed that the stinger was on it's last legs. Juane remarked, "Pyrrha!"

Before he could say anything else, Pyrrha responded, "Done!" She threw her shield, and it sliced through the stinger, piercing though the Deathstalker's armor.

Juane then ordered, "Nora, nail it!"

Nora then responded, "Head's up!" Pyrrha turned, and saw Nora jumping up. She put her shield over her head, and simultaneously, She pushed up, and Nora fired, sending her up high in the air. Jecht and Verde noticed, and Verde responded, "Time to go."

Jecht nodded. Jecht ran to the edge of the bridge edge. He jumped, and placed a glyph, jumping on it, and sending him to the other side. Verde jumped off the side, and he fired a few rounds, landing him on the other side as well. Nora began her descent. She fired one grenade, sending her spinning down. She smashed into the stinger, sending it deeper into the Deathstalker. The impact broke the rest of the bridge, and sending Juane and Pyrrha flying towards the grass. Pyrrha grabbed her spear along the way. Nora fired one more grenade, doing more damage, and sending her flying to the edge as well. Juane and Nora landed hard, but Pyrrha landed gracefully, and Ren stood up, still in pain, and joined them. They all stood up, and watched the other side.

Verde and Jecht landed. Verde yelled, "We're here."

Ruby responded, "Perfect. Verde, you are with me." She looks at Jecht, and said, "And you, help Weiss."

Jecht and Verde both responded, "Got it!" They all got into their appropriate positions.

Yang and Shade stood upon the same pillar, firing from it at the same time. The Nevermore becomes agitated, and started heading towards them. Yang and Shade stood ready. Once it was close enough, the Nevermore opened its beak, and Yang and Shade jumped to it. Shade pushed his katana into the Nevermore's mouth, keeping it up for Yang. Yang nodded, and took both of her gauntlets. She fired both of them into the Nevermore's throat. She then yelled, "I hope your hungry!" The two of them looked back, and saw the Nevermore heading straight for the cliff. Shade was the first to leave, but following him, was Yang. Shade landed, and he held his arms out, and Yang fell into them. The Nevermore crashed into the cliff, it landed, and only screeched at them.

Yang and Shade looked at the others, and Yang slowly catches on. Weiss and Jecht rushed past the both of them. They took our their swords, and stabbed into the ground, causing a massive formation of ice on it's tail feathers. The Nevermore can not fly up now. Weiss and Jecht both head back to the group. Yang ran towards one pillar, and Blake stood on the other. Blake tossed her boomerang, and Yang caught it. They then pulled back, making it straight as possible. Ruby nodded to Verde, and they both fired their snipers backwards, propelling them to the ribbon. They landed on the ribbon, stretching it back, like a slingshot.

Both Weiss and Jecht were ready behind them. They placed one huge glyph, and with one flick of their fingers, they turned it black, and once Ruby and Verde made contact with it, it held them in place.

Weiss then said, "Of course you would come up with this idea."

Ruby asked, "Think you can make the shot with Jecht?"

Weiss responded with a boastful attitude, "Hmph, can I?"

Verde and Ruby looked at each other, concerned. Verde then asked, "Well, can you?"

Weiss snapped, "Of course I can!" Ruby and Verde looked straight ahead, and they cocked their snipers. Weiss looked at Jecht, and they both nodded. They both held their swords up, and they spun. They then flung their swords, and the glyph shot them towards the Nevermore. They fired a few shots, keeping their velocity the same. They took their curved scythe blades, and they stuck them into the Nevermore's neck. The force of both of them pushed the Nevermore back against the cliff edge.

Verde and Ruby touched the cliff, with the Nevermore still stuck. Weiss and Jecht then pointed their swords at the cliff, and two rows of Glyphs appeared. One for Ruby, and the other, for Verde. In sync, Verde and Ruby ran up the cliff face, thanks to the glyphs. They both roared at the same time while running up the cliff face. They reached the top, and once they did, they flipped upwards, and they both fired one last shot, completely decapitating the Nevermore. They landed on top of the cliff, uninjured. The head fell beside them, and the body fell down into the chasm. After a moment of breathing. Verde yelled, "Alright! We did it!"

Both Verde and Ruby walked to the cliff edge, while on the bottom, Weiss, Blake, Yang, Frost, Shade, and Jecht all stood their, watching. Yang then said, "Well...that was something."

Frost sighed, before saying, "After today, I just want a nap."

Shade walked to Frost, and put his arms around his shoulder. He said, "Like I said...all for one, and one for all." They all nodded. After grouping back up, they all headed back to the Beacon Cliffs.

Later that night, the initiation was coming to a close. Everyone had gathered in the auditorium, along with the first-year students. Ozpin was on the stage, announcing their names. He started, "Russel Thrush. Cardin Winchester. Dove Bronzewing. Sky Lark." Once he called the names, four students walked onto the stage, all all in armor of various types.

Ozpin continued, "The four of you retrieved the Black Bishop pieces. From this day forward, you will work as...Team CRDL (Cardinal). Led by...Cardin Winchester." The others attending the assembly clapped for them. They stepped off the stage, and Juane, Nora, Ren, and Pyrrha stepped on. Ozpin then said, "Juane Arc. Lie Ren. Pyrrha Nikos. Nora Valkyrie. The four of you retrieved the White Rook pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as...Team JNPR (Juniper). Led by...Juane Arc."

With amazement, Juane asked, "Wait, me?"

Ozpin responded, "Congratulations young man."

Pyrrha then looked at Juane, and playfully punched his shoulder. Not expecting it, Juane was knocked down, and the crowd started laughing. Juane stood up, and the four of them walked off. Walking past them on the stage, was Shade, Frost, Jecht, and Verde. Ozpin said, "Shade Crocus. Frost Aquila. Jecht Fremont. Verde Rowan. The four of you retrieved the White King pieces. From this day forwars, you will work together as...Team SFFR (Sapphire). Led by...Shade Crocus!" The audience clapped again. Shade looked to his new team, and said, "It will be a pleasure working with you three."

Verde looked at him, and responded, "Don't let us down."

Shade smirked, "I will say the same to you." They all chuckled. They all walked down the stage, past Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang. Ruby said first, "Congrats you guys!"

Shade responded, "Thanks!"

Frost remarked, "We wouldn't be here if not for you though." The four girls walked past them, and up onto the stage.

Ozpin then said, "And finally...Blake Belladonna. Ruby Rose. Weiss Schnee. Yang Xiao Long. The four of you retrieved the White Knight pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as...Team RWBY (Ruby). Led by...Ruby Rose."

With much amazement as well, Ruby simply stood in awe. Yang ran to Ruby, and hugged her sister. She then said, "I'm so proud of you!"

Ozpin then finally said, "Yes...this is turning out to be an...interesting year."


	16. Chapter 16: The First Day

The sun seeps in through the window of the newly founded Team SFFR's dorm. The sunlight hit's Frost's face, and he opens them slowly. He sat up, and looked around. His teammates were already dressed, ready for the day. Verde was sitting on his bed, with an acoustic guitar, tuning the strings. Jecht was loading his bullets into magazines, and Shade was laying on his bed, playing with his scroll. Frost sits up, and they all notice. Shade remarked, "About time you awaken."

Frost rubbed his eyes, and stretched. He then asked, "What happened last night?"

Verde explained, "Well, once the initiation was over, we walked to the dorms. We opened the door, and you decided to pass out onto your pillow."

Jecht then said, "You must've been extremely tired."

Frost rubbed his eyes again, and explained, "I haven't slept good for the past few days. Guess I just reached my limit, is all."

Shade nodded, "Understandable. It was a busy day yesterday." Shade stood up, and grabbed a uniform from the closet. He tossed it onto Frost's bed. He then said, "Better go ahead and get dressed for today."

Frost simply nodded, and he grabbed the uniform, and walked into the restroom. Once he entered, Verde asked, "Is it just me...or does it seem that he pushes himself a little too much?"

Shade and Jecht looked at each other. They simply shrugged.

Verde then remarked, "Oh, so just me."

Jecht responded, "Well, we barely know each other. I mean, we were only formed a team yesterday."

Shade agreed, "Jecht's right, we can't assume quite yet."

Verde nodded. Frost walked out of the restroom, dressed in his Academy Uniform. Shade complimented, "Looking good, Frost."

Frost nodded, and said, "Thanks." Frost sat down on his bed. Verde then asked, "So, Frost...Ruby...is she just a friend, or..."

Frost face palmed himself, as that is the second time he was asked that question.

Shade simply chuckled, and answered, "I already asked that question. They are just friends."

Verde raised his eyebrow, intrigued at Frost's answer. He simply then said, "Alright, if you think so." The dorm next to theirs, Team RWBY's, then started to emit what sounded like construction noises. Shade remarked, "Do they have a Jack Hammer in there?"

Jecht shrugged, and responded, "Sounds like it."

Amazed, he simply said, "You know what...I'll just stop asking questions."

The others started chuckling. Frost grabbed his case, and he opened it. On top of his normal clothing, laid his notebook. He grabbed it, and opened it. Verde asked, "What's that?"

Frost answered, "My drawing notebook. A hobby of mine is that I draw Grimm."

The other's looked at him with amazement. Shade questioned, "How does one get that close to a Grimm?"

Frost explained, "I have a photographic memory. I can remember details much more easier than most."

Shade nodded, "Makes sense. Can you draw people?"

Frost rubbed the back of his neck, somewhat embarrassed. He responded, "I have tried...but I can never get it right..."

Jecht assured, "It takes time to master a skill. It will come one day."

Frost nodded. He then asked, "Do you guy's know when we have class?" They all shrugged. In the next dorm over, they hear Weiss complaining, "It's 8:55 you dunce!" The four boys stood up, and looked out the door, same for Team JNPR. Weiss runs out of her dorm, and Ruby, Blake, and Yang watch. Ruby exclaimed, "Um...to class!" The three of them ran out, following after Weiss.

Shade responded to the situation, "Well, you heard the girl. To class!" Team SFFR raced after her. Confused, Juane said, "Class?" As he did, the rest of his team, who were looking over his shoulder, collapsed on him. They all stood up, and Juane remarked, "We're gonna be late!" They raced after the others as well. They ran through the courtyard, to get to their class.


	17. Chapter 17: Pompous Storytelling

The day nears the end, and the students are in their final classes. Team RWBY and SFFR are in their Grimm Studies class. The teacher, Professor Peter Port, who was wearing a burgundy double breasted suit, with gold lining and buttons, and dark red pants, tucked into olive green Calvary boots. In a booming voice, he says, "Monsters! Demons...Prowlers of the Night. Yes, the Creatures of Grimm have many names."

The students he is instructing are somewhat bored from his lecturing, except Frost and Weiss. Ruby is asleep as well. Peter continued, "But I merely refer to them as prey, a-ha!" As he laughs, Ruby wakes up with a jolt. The other students however, do not laugh with him. Surprised at the silence, Port continued, "Uhh, and you shall too, upon from graduating from this prestigious academy. Now as I was saying. Vale, as well as the other three kingdoms, are safe havens in an otherwise treacherous world. Our planet is absolutely teeming with creatures that would love nothing more than to tear you to pieces, and that's where we come in. Huntsmen, huntresses..." He then clicks his tongue. Yang rolls her eyes at his pompous attitude.

Port continued, "Individuals who have sworn to protect others who could not protect themselves. From what, you ask? Why, the very world!" In the back of the classroom, one student yells out, "Eyyy yeah!" Everyone looked at the student, who then shrunk back into his chair.

Port continued, "That is what you're training to become. But first, a story, a tale of a young, handsome man...me." He then started his story, but many of the students blocked it out.

Full of boredom, Ruby is scribbling on her paper. Weiss notices, and looks over, but looks back a second later. Ruby then starts giggling to herself. Ruby then holds her drawing up to the others in her team, and team SFFR. It showed a crude drawing of Professor Port, with stench lines coming off of him. Yang, Ruby, Shade, and Verde all laughed. Frost rolled his eyes, but he stifles a chuckle. Weiss, however, seemed somewhat peeved. Port cleared his throat, and the students stopped, and paid attention again. Peter then finished his story, "In the end, the beowolf was no match for my sheer tenacity. And I returned to my village with the beast in captivity, and my head held high, celebrated, as a hero." Peter then bows.

He continued, "The moral of the story, a true huntsman must be honorable-"

While Professor Port was finishing his story up, Ruby decides to goof off, and Weiss notices. With each little thing, it makes Weiss more and more angrier.

Port continued, "A true huntsman must be dependable. A true huntsman must be strategic, well-educated, and wise!" he then asked, "So who among you believes themselves to be the embodiment of these traits?"

Simultaneously Weiss and Frost both raised their hands. They both said, "I do, sir!" Weiss and Frost look at each other, with a little bit of aggression in their eyes.

Peter remarked, "So, two of you, eh? Well then, let's find out! Step forward, and meet your opponent." He points to a somewhat large cage, a little taller than Port himself. Both Weiss and Frost walked to the front, in front of the cage, a few yards away. Weiss unsheathed her sword, and Frost pulled his elbow blades out. Their appropriate teams cheered for them. Shade said, "Send it to its grave!"

Verde remarked, "Keep alert!"

Jecht continued, "Don't give up!" Frost looked at his team, and gave a smirk at them, and a small nod.

Yang remarked, "Gooo Weiss!"

Blake waved a small flag, with "RWBY" printed on it. She said, "Fight well."

Ruby yelled, "Yeah! Represent Team RWBY!"

Weiss snapped, "Ruby! I'm trying to focus!"

"Oh, sorry." Ruby responded.

Frost and Weiss both readied themselves. Weiss whispered to Frost, "Stay out of my way."

Frost did not respond, he kept his mind focused on the task at hand. Port remarked, "Alright. Let the match, begin!" He grabbed his blunderaxe, and he chopped the lock off. The cage door dropped down, and out from it, came a beowolf. The beowolf roared, and it charged at the two of them. They both dodged it's charge. It turned, and looked at them both. Port then said, "Haha! Wasn't expecting that, were you!"

Ruby remarked for encouragement, "Hang in their Weiss and Frost!"

Weiss then rushed at it. The beowolf however was able to punch Weiss away easily. Weiss slid across the floor, and her weapon flew out of her hand. Port remarked, "Bold new approach, I like it!"

Frost quickly went to Weiss's aid. The beowolf struck down, but Frost blocked with his two elbow blades. Frost then ordered, "Go get your rapier!"

Weiss quickly stood, and grabbed her weapon.

Ruby then advised, "Go for it's neck, it has no armor around-"

Weiss, once again, snapped. She then remarked, "Stop telling me what to do!" Ruby looked away, somewhat saddened. The beowolf put all of it's weight onto Frost, pushing him down to the ground. Frost curled into a ball, with his two blades blocking the paws, and his two feet on it's abdomen. With all of his strength, he pushed his feet out, pushing the beowolf back. Weiss took the moment, and jumped over the Beowolf. She placed a glyph over it, facing downwards. She then jumped off of it, and thrusted her sword through the beowolf's neck, ending it swiftly.

Both Frost and Weiss started breathing heavily. Frost stood up, and dusted off. Weiss pulled her rapier out, and holstered it. Port then said, "Bravo, bravo! We are indeed in the presence of true huntsmen in training. Be sure to cover the assigned readings, and remember...stay vigilant. Class dismissed." The students start to pile out. Weiss looked at Ruby, somewhat angrily. She then walked away. Ruby stood up, and started to run after her. Frost quickly grabbed her shoulder, before she could run any farther. He then said, "Give her some space."

Ruby looked down, somewhat sad. Frost noticed, and said, "Come on, let's take a walk."

Ruby then asked, "What about Weiss?"

Frost looked at Jecht, and he nodded. Jecht caught on, and nodded back. Frost answered, "Don't worry, I got it covered. For now, let's just give her space."

Frost and Ruby exited at the same time. Jecht stood, and said, "I better go tend to Weiss."

Shade and Verde both nodded. Shade responded, "Alright. Stay safe." They all stood up, and exited.


	18. Chapter 18: Bonding & Conclusion

Bonding (Part 1)

Frost and Ruby walked the streets of Vale, like Frost wanted. Ruby, however, was still thinking about Weiss. Frost noticed, and said, "Don't think too hard on it."

Ruby responded, "I know...but she's my teammate."

Frost then said, "I know she sort of...overreacted...but you just can't change some people."

They went silent. Ruby then asked, "Did Ozpin make a mistake?"

Confused, Frost asked, "How so?"

Ruby clarified, "Did Ozpin make a mistake, about choosing me to be the leader of team RWBY?"

Frost thought for a second. He answered, "Ozpin once told me that he had made more mistakes than any man, woman, or child on this planet. But, seeing how that this is only day one. I wouldn't think he would consider you being leader to be one of them." He then asked, "Do you doubt his decision?"

Ruby answered, "Well...no."

Frost remarked, "Well, that's all there is to it." Frost then sighed. He continued, "While I might not be inclined to say this...but I know the great responsibility that comes with being a leader. It is not just a title you carry in battle, but it is a badge you wear constantly. It is up to you to uphold it. Maybe, instead ask Weiss to be a bit more opening. To make it right, however, she would need something in return."

Ruby asked, "Like what?"

Frost then asked, "What did she want in the beginning?"

Ruby sighed. She then said, "For me to be mature."

Frost replied, "Then maybe, if you start acting like a leader, she will start acting like a teammate, and not a bossy brat. Maybe once we are done walking around the city, see if you can talk to her, and work it out."

Ruby understood what Frost was saying. She then said, "I see..." She chuckled, and continued, "You really do sound like Ozpin."

Frost chuckled as well. Ruby then asked, "Where are you from?"

Surprised at the random question, he asked, "Why the sudden question?"

Ruby answered, "Well, the few days we have known each other, we have been to busy. I figured this would be a good time to get to know each other a little better."

Frost nodded, and said, "Alright. Well...I come from Mistral. I lived with my sister, Snow, and my mother, Glacia. We lived pretty well, actually, being one of the richest families there."

Ruby kept his gaze on him, just in complete awe. Frost continued, "I went to Sanctum for a year, until moving here, and living under the protection of Ozpin. While at Sanctum, I had made a few friends. Other than Pyrrha, I had Dusk, Umbra, Sandra, and Kieth."

Ruby responded, "You were pretty popular, weren't you?"

Frost answered, "Somewhat. We were all different, but put those differences aside, and became very close friends."

Ruby then asked, "Tell me about your friends."

Frost responded, "Well, Dusk was the first one. She is a dog faunas, with a very hyper personality, and a defensive attitude. Next was Umbra, a close friend of Dusk. Umbra was a jackal faunas, with a personality to rival Dusk's, but they always got along somehow. Next was Sandra and Keith. At the time, the two of them were a couple, and they still may be one now. Sandra is a lot like Weiss, in some ways, being preppy and whatnot, however, she is very caring, and worries a lot. And to keep her in check, was Keith. I considered Keith to be the brother I never had, and he thought the same. However, I had to leave them. Three years later, here I am."

Ruby finally asked, "Why did you have to leave?"

Frost looked away, somewhat sad. He answered, "I was a very troubled child...I got into trouble more than once. When I said I had have my run-in's with Roman, I wasn't lying. He decided to send his men after me, so I just straight up left Mistral, coming to the only place I can be safe."

The two of them went silent. Frost's motives became a little more clearer.

Ruby responded, "Well, now he can't get you. You are surrounded by many trained huntsmen and huntresses, and even surrounded by people who would consider you a friend."

Frost looked away for a split second. He then looked back, and slightly chuckled, "And I wouldn't have it any other way." Frost looks up into the sky, the sun slowly starts to set. Frost remarked, "We better head back to Beacon." Ruby nodded, and the two of them walked back to Beacon.

Bonding (Part 2)

Weiss marches the halls of Beacon, somewhat angrily. She walks onto a balcony, overlooking the city. She looks over the edge with the same angry face she has had since day one. Behind her, Jecht comes up. "Nice fight." Jecht said.

Weiss sighed. She replied, "Thank you, Jecht."

Jecht walked up next to her, and looked over the edge as well. Jecht asked, "Is something troubling you, ma'am?"

Weiss looked away, but afterwards, she remarked, "I think I should have been the leader of Team RWBY."

Jecht looked at her, confused. He then said, "Hmm...I dunno about that."

Somewhat offended, Weiss remarked, "Excuse me?"

Jecht replied in a calm manner, "I think Ozpin chose Ruby to be the leader for a good reason. Whether it be for her ability, or just simply because she is younger than the rest of us."

Weiss then asked, "So you would just blindly accept his decision, even after seeing how exceptional I am?"

"Hmmm..." Jecht thought for a second, until coming with a conclusion. "Why do you think he chose Juane over Pyrrha to be the leader of team JNPR?"

Confused, Weiss didn't answer. Jecht answered, "It is not about the strength of a man's weapon, but the strength of his heart. He chose Ruby because of the innocence she has, which is something more that the rest of us don't have."

Weiss looked away, knowing Jecht is right. Jecht continued, "Maybe make a bargain with her. If she acts like a leader should, you will perform at your absolute best as a teammate."

Weiss sighed, but she was defeated. She knew Jecht was right. She nodded, and said, "I will."

Jecht smiled, and replied, "Alright." They continued to look over the edge. Weiss then said, "I am...sorry...if I was a bit harsh to you."

Jecht responded, "Don't worry about it. I wasn't raised in the military for nothing."

Amazed, Weiss asked, "You were part of the Atlas Military?"

Jecht replied, "In a way, yes."

Weiss finally asked, "Why did you leave?"

Jecht looked down, and sighed. He responded, "Well...other than being your bodyguard...I needed to leave Atlas. I was living in a shroud of my deceased parents, and I was constantly reminded how they died...I would either be told 'Sorry for your loss' all the time, or ridiculed by others. So, under Ironwood's orders, I was thinking, if I left, and started anew, in a new kingdom, surrounded by new people, I think it would go away, and I was correct. No one here has treated me as if I were a person who needed attention, or as if I was a street rat."

Weiss finally realized why Jecht was so secluded all the time. Why he never really opened up to anyone, until now.

Weiss replied, "I see...does your team know?"

Jecht shook his head. "No. I will, on a later date."

Weiss nodded. She then said, "Thanks for taking the time to talk to me."

Jecht responded, "No problem. If you ever need me, you know where to find me, ma'am."

Weiss chuckled, and said, "Please, call me Weiss."

Jecht replied, "Yes ma- I mean, Weiss." The two of them then started chuckling. Weiss walked off of the balcony, and back into the hall, leaving Jecht there.

Conclusion (Part 3)

Weiss and Ruby met in the courtyard. Frost left shortly after their arrival back at Beacon. Jecht watches them overhead. From behind, Frost walks onto the balcony. Frost asked, "How did things go with Weiss?"

Jecht replied, "I think it worked out well. How about you?"

Frost answered, "As well as it could go." Frost walked, and stood beside Jecht, looking over the Balcony at Weiss and Ruby. While they couldn't hear talking, just by looking at their facial expressions, the conversation is going well.

Frost asked, "Where is Shade and Verde?"

Jecht answered, "They said they would meet us in the dorm, after we are done. We should wait, and see how this plays out."

Frost nodded in agreement.

Jecht continued, "It seems the 'Ice Queen' actually does have a heart. It is just set in the wrong places."

Frost replied, "Let's just hope we fixed it..." From afar, they can actually see them hugging. Jecht remarked, "I guess we did it."

Frost smirked, "Mission complete."

Jecht and Frost started to chuckle. Frost finally said, "We better head back to our dorms, we got a long week ahead of us."

Jecht nodded, and they started heading to their dorms.


	19. Chapter 19: Juanedice

A couple weeks later, Team RWBY, JNPR, and SFFR are all in Combat Studies class, with Professor Goodwitch. Juane and Cardin were on the dimly lit stage, fighting each other. Juane was tired, while Cardin still stood up strong. He even laughed at Juane's weakness. Trying to motivate himself, he simply said, "Come on..."

He then took his sword up, and his shield, and charged. He swung down, but Cardin sidestepped, making him miss. Cardin then smacked Juane's shield. The force knocked Juane back, and his shield was thrown from his hand. Juane stood up, and he grabbed his sword with both hands. He charged again, and swung down. Instead of dodging, Cardin blocked it. With his force, he started to push Juane down. He remarked, "This is the part, where you loose."

Standing his ground, Juane replied, "Over my dead-" He was cut off, when Cardin pushed his knee into Juane's gut, incapacitating him. Juane fell down, and gripped his gut. Cardin took his mace, and raised it above his head. He was about to swing down, but a buzzer went off, and the lights turned on. Glynda Goodwitch remarked, "That's enough." Cardin stepped back, while Juane stayed on the ground. Glynda walked forward, and started her lecture, "Students, as you can see, Mr. Arc's aura has fallen into the red. In a tournament style duel, this would indicate that Juane is no longer fit for battle, and that the official may call the match."

Pyrrha looked onto the stage, at Juane, feeling bad for him. Glynda continued, "Mr. Arc, it's been weeks now, please try to refer to your scroll during combat. Gauging your aura will help you decide when it is appropriate to attack, or maybe move to a more, defensive strategy."

Juane pulled out his scroll, and opened it. It showed himself and his team. His teammate's aura was fine, but his was in the red. He looked at it, somewhat sad. Glynda continued, "We wouldn't want you to be gobbled up by a beowolf, now would we?"

Cardin muttered, "Speak for yourself..." He scrapped his mace across the ground, as he rose it up to his shoulders. Glynda then reminded, "Remember everyone! The Vytal Festival is only a few months away. It won't be long before other students from other kingdoms start arriving in Vale, so keep practicing."

Teams RWBY and SFFR were then hyped, for the upcoming festival.

Glynda continued, "Those who choose to compete in the combat tournament will be representing all of Vale." The bell then rung, and the students started to pile out of the classroom. Juane still stayed on the stage. He looked down, thinking how much of a failure he was.

After the class, Teams RWBY, JNPR, and SFFR were all sitting at the same lunch table. Nora was telling them a story.

"So, there we were...in the middle, of the night!" She said, in a spooky manner.

Ren corrected, "It was day."

Shade, Yang, and Verde all looked attentively at her, wondering what's gonna happen. Blake had her book open, reading it. Frost was drawing in his notebook, Weiss was filing her nails down, Jecht was taking a small power nap.

Nora continued, "We were surrounded by ursai..."

Ren corrected, "They were beowolves."

Nora stood up fast, and yelled, "DOZENS OF THEM!"

"Two of 'em..."

"But they were no match, and in the end, Ren and I took them down, and we made a boatload of Lien selling Ursa skinned rugs!" She finally said, ending with a smirk.

Ren sighed, and explained, "She's been having this reoccurring dream for nearly a month now."

Ruby and Pyrrha noticed Juane seeming depressed. Pyrrha asked, "Juane, are you okay?"

Juane was in a blank state, the words broke through, and and he said, "Huh? Oh, yeah! Why?"

Ruby explained, "It's just you seem a little...not okay." Everyone stops what they were doing, and their focus was on Juane.

Juane reassured, "Guys, I'm fine. Seriously, look!" He holds his thumb up, and cocks a fake smile. From across the mess hall, Cardin and his team were picking on a faunas girl. Frost looked at them, and he growled. Shade noticed, and asked, "Are you okay, Frost?"

Frost said, still with aggression in his tone, "I am fine."

Pyrrha continued, "Juane, Cardin's been picking on you since the first week of school."

Juane then asked, "Who? Cardin Winchester?" Dismissing the fact, he stated, "Nah, he's just messing around. You know, practical jokes."

Ruby glared, and said, "He's a bully."

Juane remarked, "Oh, please. Name one time he's 'bullied me'."

Verde answered, "Knocks your books out of your hand on several occasions."

Nora also answered, "Wedged you in the doorway by activating your shield."

Frost finally answered, "And shoving you into a rocket propelled locker, activating it, and sending you into the Emerald Forest, and I had to retrieve you."

With all the facts in his face, Juane continued to protect himself by saying, "I didn't land far from the school."

Pyrrha then bluntly stated, "Juane, you know if you ever need help, you can just ask!"

Nora then stood up, and remarked, "We'll break his legs!"

Shade stated, "I concur."

Juane, still trying to assure them, said, "Guys, really. It's fine. Besides, he's not only a jerk to me, he's a jerk to everyone." He then stood up, and started to throw his tray away.

From across the mess hall, laughter can be heard. Followed by a girl remarking, "Ow, that hurts!" Frost looked back over to Cardin, and the rabbit faunas girl. Frost growled, and his face almost turned into a shade of red. Cardin had a fierce grip on the rabbit girl's ear. The girl asked, "Please stop..."

Frost then said, "He has crossed the line." He stood up, and marched over to Cardin and his team. Shade looked at him, and could only worry for his teammate. Verde asked, also worried, "What is he doing?"

Shade guessed, "He was here a lot longer than us...he might know her."

Frost walked behind Cardin. He shot his hand towards Cardin's ear, and tugged as hard as he could. Cardin's face showed he was in a lot of pain. He instantly let go of the rabbit girl's ear, and tried to fight back, but to no avail. His team looked to their leader, in a somewhat afraid state. Frost whispered into his ear, "You think you are so tough, to not get the same treatment?" He continued to pull back, with Cardin basically falling to his knees.

Frost knelt down beside Cardin, with the same red face. He then remarked, "Lay another finger on her, and I swear, I will cut off all ten of them." He then pushed Cardin to the ground. Cardin felt instant relief, as the pain went away. His team went to his side, and helped him up. Frost went to the girl, and escorted her out of the mess hall.

Team RWBY, JNPR, and the remaining members of Team SFFR all watched. Ruby asked, somewhat worrisome, "Frost seemed angry...didn't he?"

Jecht responded, "I think I know why. He probably knows the pain of racism, from also being a faunas. Maybe he is just fighting it back."

Yang sighed, and said, "It must be hard to be a faunas."

Shade scoffed, "Believe me, it is." Everyone looked at him, except his own team, confused. He looked up, and saw their faces. He then asked, "What?"

Blake asked, "You're a faunas?"

Shade continued to be confused, until he realized. He then slightly chuckled, and said, "Oh, the hat."

He took his tri-corner hat off the top of his head, to reveal two grey wolf ears. His friends looked at him, almost surprised.

Shade remarked, "You do realize I wasn't trying to hide the fact, right?"

Ruby responded, "Well, no...but we almost never see you without your hat."

Yang remarked, "He looks sooooo cute!"

Shade started to blush. He then said, "Awe, you don't mean that." He placed his hat back onto his head, concealing his wolf ears.

The remaining members of Team SFFR stood up. Shade then said, "I'll see you guys next class, I better go find Frost, see if he is doing well." They all said goodbye, and RWBY and JNPR stayed a little longer, till the next bell rang.


	20. Chapter 20: A History Lesson

The teams split up to go to seperate classes. Juane, Pyrrha, Frost, Blake, and Weiss are all in history class, along with Cardin. Juane is snoozing away, and while many other students aren't really paying attention to what the history professor, Dr. Oobleck, has to say, Frost seems quite interested. Dr. Oobleck wears a half tucked in white button down, with dark green pants. His shirt collar stands up, nearly reaching his messy green hair.

Dr. Oobleck lectures, "Yes, yes. Prior to the Faunas Rights Revolution, more popularly known as the Faunas War, humankind was quite, quite adamant about centralizing Faunas Population in Menagerie." He then points to an island on his map, on the right bottom side. He takes a sip of his drink from his cup, assuming that it is coffee, since he is able to maneuver around the classroom at godlike speeds. With a quick step, he goes in front of his desk, and continues, "Now! While this must feel like ancient history for many of you, it is imperative to remember that these are relatively recent events! Why, the repercussions can still of the uprising can still be seen to this day!" Without breaking stride, he zooms around the class room.

He takes another sip, and asks, "Now, have any among you been subjugated or discriminated because of your faunas heritage?" In the back of the class, a student raised his hand. From the front row, Frost raised his hand, and finally, the bunny faunas who was being tormented by Cardin, raised her hand along with him.

Oobleck continued, "Dreadful, simply dreadful! Remember students, it is precisely this kind of ignorance that breeds violence. I mean, I mean, just look at what happened with the White Fang!" He takes another sip.

He zooms, and asks, "Now, which one of you young scholars can tell me what many theorists believe to be the turning point, in the third year of the war?"

Weiss's hand shot up.

Oobleck nodded in acknowledgement.

Weiss answered, "The battle at Fort Castle."

Oobleck continued, "Precisely! And who can tell me the advantage the Faunas had over General Lagune's forces?"

From behind Juane, Cardin had made a small paper wasp. He then shot it down, towards Juane. Juane woke up with a jolt, and said, "Hey!"

Oobleck zoomed to in front of Juane, and said, "Mr. Arc! Finally contributing to class! This is excellent, excellent! What is the answer?"

Confused at what is going on, Juane played along. He said, "Uuuuuh...the answer..." He looked past Oobleck's shoulder, at Pyrrha, who was giving him hand signals to the answer. Juane continued, "The advantage...the faunas had over the guy's stuff..." He gave one last look at Pyrrha, who had her hands cuffed over her eyes. Juane put the clues together, and said, "Binoculars!"

Laughter followed, as that was the wrong answer. Pyrrha face-palmed herself. Oobleck zoomed back to his desk, and said in an sarcastic tone, "Very funny, Mr. Arc." He looked up at Cardin, who was laughing the hardest. He then asked, "Cardin! Perhaps you would like to share your thoughts on the subject?"

Cardin, with his legs propped up on his desk, answered, "Well, I know it's easier to train an animal, than a soldier." Oobleck shook his head with disappointment.

Pyrrha then said, "You're not the most open-minded of individuals, are you, Cardin?"

Cardin retorted, "What? You got a problem?"

Pyrrha remarked, "No, I got the answer. It's night vision. Many faunas are known to have nearly-perfect sight in the dark."

Blake took over, "General Lagune was inexperienced, and he made the mistake of trying to ambush the Faunas in their sleep. His massive army was outmatched, and the General was captured." She then looked to Cardin, and remarked, "Perhaps if he'd paid more attention in class, he wouldn't have been remembered as such a failure." As she finished her statement, many students gasped.

Cardin stood up, and clenched his fist towards Blake. Oobleck ordered, "Mr. Winchester, please take your seat." Reluctantly, he sat back down. In the front, Juane was snickering. Oobleck zoomed back in front of Juane, and said, "You, and Mr. Arc, will both see me after class for additional readings."

Juane then groaned. Oobleck zoomed away, and said, "Now, moving on!"


	21. Chapter 21: The Terrible Truth

Team JNPR walks out of their History Class. Pyrrha tells her teammates, "You go on ahead, I'll wait for Juane."

In the classroom, Cardin and Juane sit their. Cardin had his legs propped up, not caring about anything. Juane on the other hand looks away, somewhat ashamed. Oobleck sips his coffee, and remarks, "You two have been struggling in my class since day one. Now, I don't know if it's just a lack of interest, or just your stubborn nature, but whatever it is..." He takes another sips, and he clangs his mug onto his desk. He continued, "It stops now! You've worked hard to gain entrance to this school, and we only accept the best of the best. So, I expect you to act like it."

His words breezed over Cardin, not even worried. Juane looked disappointed, however.

Oobleck continued, "History is important, gentlemen! If you can't learn from it, you are destined to repeat it." He then ordered, "Pages 51 to 91! I want an essay on my desk by next class. Now...run along." Oobleck then zoomed out the door. Followed behind was Cardin and Juane. Juane stopped beside Pyrrha, and Cardin rammed his shoulder into him, knocking him down. Juane groaned with pain. Pyrrha helped him back up. Cardin walked away, smirking. Pyrrha then said, "You know, I will break his legs."

Juane simply sighed, and looked down. Pyrrha thinks for a second, before saying, "I got an idea! Here, come with me!" She then grabs Juane's arm, and practically drags him with her.

Pyrrha takes him to the dormitory roof. The bright moon looms over Beacon Academy, and the city lights light up the horizon. They walked to the edge, and looked off of it. Juane looked to Pyrrha, and said, "Pyrrha, I know I'm going through a hard time right now, but I'm not THAT depressed. I could always be a farmer...or something."

Confused, Pyrrha looked at him, with her head tilted. She then looked down the side of the dormitory building, and realized what he meant. "NOOO!" She exclaimed. She pushed him away from the edge. She explained, "That's not why I brought you up here! Juane, I know you're having a difficult time in class, and you're not the strongest of fighters...so...I want to help you!"

Confused, Juane said, "What?"

Pyrrha continued, "We can train up here after class, where no one can bother us."

Juane then asked, "You think I need help?"

Trying to assure him, she said, "N-no! That is not what I meant."

Juane responded, with a regretful tone, "But you just said it."

Pyrrha continued, "Juane, everyone needs a little push from time to time. It doesn't make you different from the rest of us. You made it to Beacon, that speaks volumes of what you're capable of!"

Juane turned, and said, "You're wrong...I don't belong here..."

Surprised at his comment, Pyrrha said, "That's a terrible thing to say, of course you do!"

Juane snapped, and he turned back, and said, "No, I don't!" He sighed, and Pyrrha looked at him, with a confused, yet sad expression. Juane then explained, "I wasn't really accepted into Beacon." Juane then turned back around, and looked off the edge. Pyrrha asked, "What do you mean?"

Juane continued, "I mean I didn't go to Combat School! I didn't pass any tests! I didn't earn my spot at this academy!" He turned back around, and bluntly said, with regret in his face and voice, "I lied. I got my hand on some fake transcripts, and I lied."

Shocked, Pyrrha asked, "But...why?"

Juane continued, "Cause this is always what I've wanted to be! My father, my grandfather, and his father before him were all warriors. They were all heroes! I wanted to be one too...I was just never good enough..."

Pyrrha reached out for him, and remarked, "Then let me help you!"

Juane pulled away, and said, "I don't want help! I don't want to be the damsel in distress, I want to be the hero! I'm tired, of being the lovable idiot, stuck in a tree, while his friends fight for their lives, don't you understand?! If I can't do this on my own...then what good am I?"

Pyrrha once again, tried to reach out for him, but Juane pulled back, and said, "Just...leave me alone..."

Pyrrha finally responded, remorsefully, "If that's what you think is best..." She then walked towards the door. She walked through it, and Frost stood their, waiting. Frost said, "I guess it didn't go well...?"

Pyrrha looked away, and shook her head. She then said, "I don't know what to do..."

Frost remarked, "He will find out on his own, that he can't just do this on his own...give him time..."

Pyrrha looked at him, and nodded. She then said, "Alright...I will. Thank you, Frost."

Frost nodded back, and said, "Any time." Pyrrha walked past him. Frost stood by the door. He cracked it, and saw Juane there. Juane started to walk away, but a familiar snicker occurred. Over the edge, Cardin pulled himself up. Frost glared towards him, wondering what he is up to. Cardin finished pulling himself up, and said, "Oh, Juane..."

Juane turned around, shocked. He remarked, "Cardin!"

Cardin continued, "I couldn't help but overhear you two from my dorm room. So, you snuck into Beacon, huh? I gotta say Juane, I've never expected you to be such a rebel."

Juane, at the verge of panicking, told Cardin, "Please, Cardin...do not tell anyone."

Cardin smirked, and said, "Juane...come on! I'd never rat out on a friend like that." He walked over th Juane.

Confused, Juane asked, "A...friend?"

Cardin put his arm around Juane's neck, and pulled him down, into a headlock. Juane was struggling for air. Cardin then said, "Of course. We're friends now, Juaney Boy! And the way I see it, as long as you're there for me when I need you, we'll be friends for a long time..." He pulled his arm closer to his chest, tightening the grip around Juane's neck. He then finally lets him go, and Juane drops to the ground, gasping in air. Cardin got then ordered, "That being said...I really don't have time to do those extra readings Dr. Oobleck gave us today. Think you could take care of that for me, buddy?"

Juane didn't answer back. Cardin sneered, and said, "That's what I thought..." Cardin walked back to the edge of the roof. He started to climb down, but Cardin finally said before climbing down, "And don't worry, Juane. Your secret is safe with me." He then climbed down, and left Juane. Juane stayed on the ground, fearing for what he has gotten himself into. Frost closed the door, and growled. He shook his head in disgust, seeing Cardin blackmail his friend. Frost then sighed, and said in his head, _"I better wait to see how this pans out, before I take action..."_ He then walks back down the stairs, to his dorm.


	22. Chapter 22: A Talk Bewteen Leaders

Nora, Ren, and Pyrrha were in their dorm. Nora was happily bouncing on a bed, Ren was cleaning out his two pistols, and Pyrrha was sitting on her bed, looking gloomily out the window. Nora asked, while jumping on the bed, "How come Juane always gets home late?"

Ren answered, "He's becoming rather scarce, ever since he's been fraternizing with Cardin."

Nora replied, "That's weird...doesn't he know we have a field trip tomorrow? We need our rest!" As she finished her statement, she jumped up high one last time, and flipped through the air, and landed on her back, with her head on her pillow.

With aggression in her voice, Pyrrha remarked, "I'm sure our leader knows EXACTLY what he's doing..."

Ren and Nora looked at each other, confused at her sudden aggression. Nora replied, "I guess so..."

Outside Team JNPR's dorm, Juane stood their, peeking inside the crack. He sighed, and closed the door. "Hey Juane." A familiar voice rang out. Juane jumped, and turned, only to see Ruby, in her black, white, and red pajamas. Ruby continued, "Long time no see! Did you lock yourself out again?"

Juane chuckled, and replied, "Um, nope!" He held his scroll up, and said, "Got it."

Ruby then asked, "So, where have you been lately."

Juane tried to think of an excuse, but to no avail. He sighed, and said with regret, "I messed up...I did something I shouldn't have, and now Cardin's got me on a leash, and now Pyrrha won't even talk to me...I'm starting to think coming to this school was a bad idea..." He then slid down the wall, sitting on the floor. He then said, "I'm a failure..."

Nope." Ruby remarked.

Nope?" Juane replied.

Ruby continued, "Nope. You're a leader now, Juane. You're not allowed to be a failure."

Juane then asked, "But, what if I'm a failure at being a leader?"

Ruby thought for a second. She then answered, "Nope." She walked over next to Juane, and sat down next to him. Juane stifles a small laugh, and responded, "Y'know, you're not the easiest person to talk about this kind of stuff."

Ruby replied, "Nope." Juane then rolled his eyes. Ruby continued, "Juane, maybe you were a failure when you were a kid...maybe you were even a failure the first day we met. But you can't be one now. You know why?"

Juane thought for a second, but before he could answer, Ruby answered, "Because it's not just about you anymore. You got a team now, Juane. Me, you, and Shade all do. And if we fail, then we'll just be bringing them down with us." Ruby then stood up, and continued, "We have to put our teammates first, and ourselves second. You're team deserves a great leader, Juane. And I believe that could be you. Have a good night, Juane." She then walked to her door, and she entered into her dorm, closing it behind her.

Juane stood up, and continued thinking about Ruby's words. He even stifles a small smile. He turns, but before he opens his door, his scroll rings. He picks it up, and opens it. A message from Cardin was there. He listened to it.

" _Hey. It's your buddy, Cardin! I know you're probably busy with that dust project I gave you, buuuuut I'm gonna need you to go out and get me a bag of rapier wasps."_ Juane emits a shocked noise. Cardin continued, _"And make sure they got some reaaallly big stingers. It's important, so don't screw this up!"_ The message ended. Juane sighed, and he holstered his scroll. He then walked out of the dormitory, to do Cardin's bidding.


	23. Chapter 23: Forever Fall

The next day, Glynda leads Team RWBY, SFFR, JNPR, and CRDL into the mystical forest of Forever Fall. The red leaves fell from the trees in a graceful manner. The student's looked at around the beautiful forest. While walking, Glynda stated, "Yes, the forest of Forever Fall is indeed beautiful. But we are not here to sight-see. Professor Peaches asked all of you to collect samples from the trees deep inside this forest. And I'm here to make sure none of you die while doing so." She made turned around, and the students made a sudden stop.

From the back of the line, Juane was jars and a case. He bumped into Cardin. Cardin looked over his shoulder, at him, with a mean smirk on his face. Juane chuckled it off, and he looked away, as if he didn't do it.

Glynda continued, "Each of you is to gather one jar's worth of red sap. However, this forest is teeming with the creatures of grimm, so be sure to stay by your teammates. We'll rendezvous back here at four o' clock. Have fun!" Glynda walked off. As Juane was about to walk towards his team, Cardin grabbed the back of his chest plate, and said, "Come on, buddy! Let's go." Juane looked down, with sadness in his eyes. He saw Ren and Nora walk off, but Pyrrha waited, to see if he was coming. Juane looked away, and followed Cardin. Pyrrha had the same sad expression on her face. She then sighed, and followed the rest of her team.

Frost watched Juane and Cardin. Shade walked up next to him, and asked, "You ready to go?"

Frost didn't answer, he continued to watch. Shade looked at Cardin and Juane as well. Shade had the same concern that Frost had. Shade remarked, "Follow him, make sure he will be okay."

Frost asked, "Think you can get an extra jar of sap?"

Shade smirked, and remarked, "Don't worry. I got you covered. Just go after him."

Frost nodded, and he stealthily followed Juane and Cardin.

An hour later, Team CRDL is sitting down in a circle. Juane walks in, with six jars of sap. He groans slightly, before dropping the jars. Once he dropped them, he fell down onto the ground. Cardin remarked, "Hey, great work, Juaney boy. Now that wasn't hard now, was it?"

Juane, with his sinuses all stuffed up, responded, "I think I'm allergic to this stuff..."

Ignoring his clear symptoms, Cardin continued, "Great, great great. So, Juane. I bet you're asking yourself, 'Why did my buddy Cardin ask me to collect SIX jars of sap, when there's only FIVE of us."

Juane responded, "That is one of the many questions I have asked myself today, yes."

Cardin pulled Juane up, and said, "Well, come with me, and you'll find out."

Juane emits a slight scared noise, just before making a loud gulp. Juane followed Team CRDL, to a low cliff edge, overlooking the other three teams. Just from looking, it all looks like they were having a blast. Juane then asked Cardin, "Cardin...what's going on?"

Cardin paused, before glaring. He responded, "Payback..."

"Pyrrha...?" Juane said to himself. He looked over the cliff, and saw Pyrrha across the clearing. He then asked, "What are you-"

He was cut off, when Cardin said, "That's the girl. Red-haired, think she's so smart." He grabbed a box from behind him, and it was emitting a loud buzzing noise, as well as shaking the box violently. Cardin continued, "Alright boys. Last night, ol' Juane managed to round up an entire box of rapier wasps. And now, we're gonna put them to work."

Juane then chuckled nervously. Cardin continued, "Now, according to one of the essays he wrote for me last week, these nasty things loooove sweets. I'm thinking it's time we teach her a thing or two."

"You disgust me..." A voice said behind a tree. Team CRDL stood up, followed by Juane. Frost came out from the shadow of the tree. Frost then said, "You honestly think you would get away with doing harm to a student?"

Cardin chuckled. He then asked, "So, how much did you hear?"

Frost answered, with a glare in his eyes, "Just enough."

Cardin sighed, and said, "You faunas...always sticking to the shadows..."

Frost instantly became angered by his words. He growled, just before charging at him. Before he could make contact, however, Sky and Russel both grabbed his arms, just feet away from Cardin. Cardin took the time, and he shoved his knee into Frost's gut, sending him to the ground. Dove and Russel continued to hold on to his arms. Cardin thought for a second. He then ordered, "Better yet...hit HIM with the sap. After what he did to me in the mess hall that one day, you deserve this."

Cardin turned to Juane, and he pushed the jar into Juane's gut. Juane grabbed it, and Cardin ordered, "Hit him with the sap. Either that, or I'll have a chat with Goodwitch, and you'll be on the first airship out of Beacon."

Juane looked down at the jar of sap. Frost, breathing heavily from the blow, said, "Just do it, Juane. I can handle it."

Juane turned to Frost, and looked at him, with remorse in his eyes. Juane pulled his arm back, preparing to throw. His arms shook with trepidation. He calmed down, but he answered to Cardin, "No..." Juane brought his arm's back down.

Cardin, surprised, asked, "What did you say?"

Juane, with anger in his voice, responded, "I said...NO!" He turned, and threw the jar at Cardin. The glass shattered onto his chest plate, making him drenched in sap. Cardin looked down at the mess, and he simply chuckled. He then said, "You've done it now..."

Cardin grabbed Juane by the shoulders, and Juane could do nothing, but chuckle sheepishly. Cardin threw a punch, knocking him down. Frost tried to break free from Sky and Dove, but to no avail. Cardin grabbed Juane by his chest piece, and punched him in the face, knocking him down once more. Cardin then said, "You know that wasn't very smart, Juaney boy."

He grabbed Juane by his chest plate again pulled him up, off of his feet. Cardin continued, "I'm gonna make sure they send you back to mommy in teeny tiny pieces."

Juane responded, with a bruise on his right cheek, "I don't care...what you do to me...but you are not messing with my team."

Cardin scoffed, "What? You think talk like that makes you tough? You think you're a big strong man now?"

Juane simply cocked a smile. Angrily, Cardin punched once again, but Juane emitted a bright light. High pitched ringing followed. Cardin dropped Juane, and he grabbed his wrist, wincing in pain. Juane looked down at his hands, to see his aura emitting from his skin. However, from behind, Sky kicked him down. Juane looked up, at Cardin once again. Cardin threatened, "Let's see how much of a man you really are." A roar sounded off behind them. Team CRDL turned, and a Ursa Major came out from some trees. He stomped loudly, before stopping in front of the students.

Team CRDL was petrified with fear. The Ursa Major sniffed the air, smelling something sweet in the air. His nose tracked him to the sap that was on Cardin's chest plate. "That's a big Ursa!" Russel said, before him, Sky, and Dove fled the scene. Cardin, Juane, and Frost were all that was left. Cardin stayed in his spot, still petrified. The Ursa Major smacked Cardin, sending him down. Juane and Frost stayed where they were, but the Ursa Major was not interested in them. It walked to Cardin. Cardin, while still on the ground, unsheathed his giant mace. However, with one quick blow, the Ursa Major smacked it away.

The mace rolled at Juane's feet. Frost stood up, and asked, "What do we do?" They stayed their, unsure what to do next.

Another roar can be heard. The others in the forest could hear it clearly. Ruby asked, "Did you guys hear that?"

Before anyone could answer, Russel, Dove, and Sky ran past her. Russel was saying, "URSA! URSA!"

He ran into Yang, but before he could scramble loose, Yang grabbed him, and interrogated, "Where?!"

Russel answered, "Back there! It's got Cardin!" Russel escaped her grasp. Pyrrha dropped her jar of sap. She then exclaimed, "Juane!"

Shade also exclaimed, "Frost is there too!"

Ruby ordered her team, "Yang, you and Blake, go get Professor Goodwitch!"

Pyrrha ordered her team, "You two, go with them! There may be more."

Shade ordered his team, "Verde, Jecht, with us!" They all pulled their weapons out, and they followed into the undergrowth of the forest.

Cardin was running from the Ursa Major, but it was too fast. The Ursa Major jumped over him, and smacked him across the forest floor. Cardin tried to crawl away. Ruby, Weiss, Pyrrha, Shade, Jecht, and Verde made it, before they could help, they saw the Ursa Major creeping up onto Cardin.

Pyrrha said, "Oh no..."

As the Ursa Major smacked down, it hit a shield. Cardin opened his eyes, to see Juane defending him with his shield. The group looked onto him, watching. Weiss readied her weapon, but Pyrrha said, "Wait."

Juane, pushed his shield upwards, and struck the Ursa Major. The Ursa Major stumbled back, but quickly regain it's footing. It stuck again, but Juane dodged. It swiped down, but Juane jumped over its paw. It came back again, but Frost quickly pushed Juane out of the way, and the paw struck him instead. Frost's blue aura flickered away. Frost laid there, almost lifeless. Shade couldn't help, but watch.

Juane took to action again, and charged at it. The Ursa Major smacked him back. Not learning from his mistake, Juane rushed again. Once again, it smacked him away. Juane got back up onto his feet, and he held his shield up. In it, he placed his scroll, and it had his aura in the red. Juane disregarded it, and he charged. The Ursa Major charged at him.

In Pyrrha's eyes, time had slowed down. She looked at the battle. Juane, with his sword swinging down, and the Ursa, with its massive paw and claws, coming down. Pyrrha raised her hand, and a black aura emitted from it. Juane's shield got enveloped by the aura, and the Shield raised up. The paw struck the shield, and grazed over it. Juane placed his right foot down, and he bounced up, and cut the Ursa Major's head clean off. The body fell over limply. The body crashed to the ground, along with the head.

Ruby and Weiss saw what Pyrrha did. Ruby asked, "Uh...what?"

Weiss then asked, "How did you..."

Pyrrha explained, "Well...Ruby has her speed, you have your glyphs, Jecht has mimicry...my semblance, is Polarity."

Ruby gasped, and said, "You can control poles..."

Weiss responded, "No you dunce! It means she has control over magnetism."

Ruby remarked, "Magnets are cool too."

Shade, Verde, and Jecht rushed out onto the field, towards Frost. Shade and Verde rolled Frost over. Frost opened his eyes, to be greeted by his team. His team looked onto Frost's face, where three claw marks made its appearance. Frost simply chuckled, and said, "Well...did what you asked...I kept my eye on him."

Shade chuckled, he said, "Well...you did it a little too well."

Confused, Frost asked, "What do you mean?"

Verde responded, "We'll show you later." They helped him up, and they all watched Juane, who sheathed his sword. He walked to Cardin, and helped him up.

Cardin said, "Holy crap...Juane?"

Juane then threatened, "Don't ever mess with my team...my friends...ever again. Got it?" Cardin looked at him, not with anger, but with fear. Juane walked away, leaving Cardin. Cardin walked away, to find his team.

Later, the teams made it back to Beacon. Night fell over Beacon. Juane looked over the dorm edge, not like he was before. He had pride in him. Two sounds of footsteps followed behind. Beside Juane, Pyrrha walked up, along with Frost. Pyrrha asked, "No Cardin tonight? I thought you two were best buds."

Juane turned to both of them. He then said, "Pyrrha...I'm sorry. I was a jerk...you were only trying to be nice, and I had all this stupid macho stuff in my head-"

Pyrrha cut him off, by saying, "Juane. It's okay. You're team really misses their leader, you know." She started to walk back to the door, and said, "You should come down. Ren made pancakes. No syrup though, you can thank Nora for that."

Juane quickly said, "Wait."

Pyrrha turned. Juane continued, "I know I don't deserve it after all I done, but would you still be willing to help me...? To become a better fighter."

Pyrrha turned around, and thought for a second. She smirked, and walked back to Juane. She then pushed him down. Juane remarked, "Hey!"

Pyrrha said, "Your stance is all wrong. You need to be wider, and lower to the ground." Pyrrha held her arm out, and Juane grabbed it. She pulled him up, and said, "Let's try that again."

Juane nodded, and Frost chuckled. Pyrrha asked, "Would you be willing to help too, Frost?"

Frost smirked, and said, "Sure can." The three of them then trained up there, for a couple hours, until retreating back into their dorms.


	24. Chapter 24: Racial Tensions

A couple weeks later, after the Forever Fall Field Trip, the kingdom of Vale prepares for the Vytal Festival. The streets are full of life, and joy. Banners flow in the wind, and colorful balloons are strung on many buildings. Team RWBY walks through the streets, looking at all the new décor. Weiss remarks with a smile on her face, "The Vytal Festival! Oh, this is absolutely wonderful!"

Ruby called out, "I don't think I've ever seen you smile this much, Weiss. It's kinda weirding me out..."

Weiss turns, and retorted, "How could you not smile? A festival dedicated to the cultures of the world! There will be dances, parades, a tournament!" She turns back around, and in awe, continued, "Oh, the amount of planning and organization that goes into this event is simply breathtaking!"

Yang remarked, "You sure do know how to take a good thing, and make it sound boring."

Weiss responded, "Quiet you!"

While walking, across the way, at the docks, stood a familiar light blue haired person.

Team RWBY walked up to him, and Ruby remarked, "Hey Frost!"

Frost turned to them, and responded, "Hey guys."

As he turned, Team RWBY looked at his scar. It has finally healed, but the cut marks almost look like it is implanted into his skin.

Yang asked, "Rockin' the scar, huh?"

Frost answered, "Yep. Took a while to get used to, as well as the weird looks I have been getting around campus, but I think scars just add to someones personality."

Ruby then asked, "Where are the others?"

Frost answered, "Back at the dorms, doing what bros do."

Blake then asked, "What brought you to the docks?"

Frost then answered, "Waiting for a friend. I had heard Dusk is going to be arriving by "unconventional means" whatever she means by that." Frost then asked, "How about you, guys? What brings you here?"

Weiss answered, "I've heard students visiting from Vacuo will be arriving by ship today. And as a representative of Beacon, I feel as it is my solemn duty to welcome them to this fine kingdom."

Blake whispered to Frost, "She wants to spy on them, so she can have the upperhand in the tournament."

Weiss scoffed, "You can't prove that."

"Whoa..." Ruby exclaimed. She looked to her right, and what she saw, shocked her. The others looked, and had the same face. Another Dust Shop has been robbed. Team RWBY and Frost walked to the police tape, surrounding the establishment. Ruby asked one of the detectives, "What happened here?"

The detective answered, "Robbery. Second shop to be hit this week. This place it turning into a jungle." He walked off.

Yang scoffed, "That's terrible..."

From inside the shop, another detective exclaimed, "They left all the money again!"

The other detective asked, "It doesn't make sense...who needs that much dust?"

"I dunno, you know what I mean?"

"You thinking the uh...White Fang?"

"Yeah, I don't think we get paid enough."

Weiss remarked, "Hmph...the White Fang. What an awful bunch of degenerates."

Blake asked, "What's your problem?"

Weiss answered, "My problem? I just don't care for the criminally insane."

Blake corrected her, "The White Fang is hardly a bunch of psychopaths. They are a collection of misguided faunas?"

Weiss remarked, "Misguided?! They want to wipe humanity the face of the planet!"

Blake responded, "So then they're VERY misguided. Either way, it doesn't explain why they would rob a Dust Shop in the middle of Downtown Vale."

Ruby sided with Blake, and said, "Blake has a point. Besides, the police never caught that Torchwick guy me and Frost ran into a few months ago. Maybe it was him."

Weiss, still content with her argument, said, "That still doesn't change the fact that the White Fang are a bunch of scum. Those faunas only know how to lie, cheat, and steal."

Yang responded, "That's not necessarily true."

As she finished her statement, a voice yelled out, "Hey! Stop those faunas!" Team RWBY and Frost ran back to the railings at the docks. Across the way, a ship was docked, and two Faunas were running across it. One faunas had tan skin with spiky light blonde hair, wearing a collared shirt, with the collar flipped up, and unbuttoned, revealing his muscles, along with two red bracers, and black fingerless gloves. He wears blue cargo pants, with chains coming out of his pockets. From behind, he has a blonde monkey tail as well.

The other faunas following him had on a gray ski vest, with a gray fluffy collar. Her smokey gray hair was tied into a ponytail, hold down by a beanie hat. She wore cargo pants as well, with a grey bushy tail, and some combat boots. The two faunas jumped onto the guard rail of the ship. The blonde one said, "Thanks for the ride, guys! Come on Dusk!"

Dusk answered, "Right behind you, Sun!" They jumped off the ship, onto the docks. The sailor called out, "You no good stowaways!"

Sun hangs from a lamppost, while Dusk stands on top of it. While hanging upside down and eating a banana Sun says, "Hey! A no good stowaway would have been caught, I'm a great stowaway!"

Dusk looks down, and the two detectives were there. One of them picks up a stone. Dusk said, "Heads up." The detective throws it, and Sun pulls his head back, dodging the rock. and ordered, "Get down here, this instant!"

In retaliation, Sun threw the banana peel at the guy's face. The detective growled. Sun swung onto the lamppost with his tail, and both him and Dusk chuckled mischievously. They then jumped high, over the two detectives, and they ran up to the streets of Beacon. Team RWBY and Frost turn. Sun runs past Blake. As he does, he gives her a wink, and continues. Behind him, Dusk runs past Frost, and said, "Hey Frost!" But before Frost could say anything back, she was gone, along with Sun.

Frost sighed, and said, "She did say unconventional..."

Yang then said, "Well Weiss, you wanted to see the competition...and there it goes."  
Weiss exclaims, "Quick! We have to observe him!" Ruby, Weiss, Yang, and Frost chase after them, while Blake was pondering what had happened. She snapped out of it, and followed her group. Sun and Dusk lead the detectives down an alleyway, and instinctively, Team RWBY and Frost follow. As they turned, Weiss ran into another person. The two of them fell to the ground. Weiss looked up, only to see Dusk and Sun jump onto a rooftop, escaping both the detectives, and the group. Weiss exclaimed, "No, they got away!"

"Uhh, Weiss?" Yang points down to Weiss. Weiss looks down, and a girl laid there, with a strange smile. Weiss pushes herself back up, and staggers back. The girl had orange short hair, with it curling inward at the tips. She had emerald eyes, with light skin, and freckles scattered across her face. She wore a whitish-gray blouse, along with metallic grey overalls, fashioned into a short skirt, ending at her lower thighs. Down her legs, are stockings, and black boots, with a green stripe. with The girl said, "Salutations!"

Ruby responded, "Um...hello."

Yang then asked, "Are you...okay?"

The girl, still laying on the wooden pathway, answered, "I'm wonderful. Thank you for asking."

The group looked at each other, confused. Yang then asked, "Do you wanna...get up?"

The girl thought for a second. She then answered, "Yes." With one swift move, she pushed back, and put all her weight onto her hands, and she pushed up. Shocked, the group steps back.

The girl introduced herself, "My name is Penny. It's a pleasure to meet you!"

The group started to introduce themselves. Ruby started "Hi Penny. I'm Ruby."

Frost continued, "Name's Frost."

Weiss continued, "I'm Weiss."

Blake simply said, "Blake."

Yang then asked, "Are you sure you didn't hit your head?"

With a swift backhand to her gut, Blake hit her. Yang stumbled a little from the hit, but finally said, "Oh, I'm Yang."

Penny said again, "It's a pleasure to meet you!"

Weiss remarked, "You already said that..."

Awkwardly, the girl looked away, thinking. Until she looked back, and said, "So I did!"

The group started to turn away. As they did, Weiss said, "Well, sorry for running into you."

Ruby said, "Take care friend." They all then walked back to the street, leaving the peculiar girl. Yang said, "She was...weird..."

Frost remarked, "It did sound like she had a few screws loose..."

Weiss got back to business, and said, "Now, where did those Faunas riffraff run of to?" However, she came to a short stop, along with the group, as Penny appeared in front of them. "What did you call me?" She said, with a surprised tone. Wiess and Frost both pointed to Yang. Yang quickly said, "Oh, I'm sorry! I definitely didn't think you heard me!"

"Not you." Penny stated. She walked past the group, to Ruby. "You." She said.

Ruby, confused, said, "Me?! Um...I dunno wha-"

She was cut off, when Penny asked, "You called me FRIEND. Am I really your friend?"

"Uuuuhhhhh..." Ruby muttered. She looked past Penny, at the group. Weiss, Blake, and Yang, were shaking their heads. Frost simply shrugged. Ruby looked back at Penny, and said, "Yeah, sure. Why not!"

The remaining members of Team RWBY were stunned by her answer. Enough so, they fell over. Frost looked down at them, and shook his head. Penny burst out with happy laughter, and said, "Sensational! We can paint our nails, and try on clothes, and talk about cute boys, like tall, blue haired, scar face here!" She then points to Frost.

Confused, Frost simply said, "Um, what?"

Ruby leaned to Weiss, and asked, "Was THIS what is was like when you met me?"

Weiss answered, "No...she seems FAR more coordinated."

Yang then asked, "Soooo...what are you doing in Vale?"

Penny answered, "I'm here to fight in the tournament."

Confused, Weiss asked, "Wait, you're fighting in the tournament?"

Penny answered proudly, "I'm combat ready!"

Weiss remarked, "Forgive me...but you hardly look the part."

Blake said back, "Says the girl wearing a dress."

Weiss exclaimed, "It's a combat skirt!"

Ruby slid next to Weiss, and said, "Yeah!" They then high fived.

"Wait a minute." Weiss said, while walking to Penny. "If you're here for the tournament, does that mean you know that monkey-tailed and dog...rapscallion?!"

Blake started getting annoyed at her words towards the two faunas. Penny asked, "The who?"

Weiss drew a crude picture of Sun, and said, "The filthy faunas from the boat!"

Blake, finally done with Weiss's antics towards the Faunas, said, "Why do you keep saying that?"

Weiss looked at Blake, confused. Blake walked to her, whilst saying, "Stop calling them rapscallions, stop calling them degenerates! They are people!"

Weiss, realizing what she is talking about, argued back, "Oh, I'm sorry. Would you like me to stop referring the trashcan, as a trashcan, or a lamppost, as a lamppost?"

Angrily, Blake yelled, "Stop it!"

Weiss remarked, "Stop what? He's clearly broken the law. Give them time, and they'll probably join up with the other faunas in the White Fang."

Frost jumped in, and said, "Hey, what is that supposed to mean? Not all faunas want to become part of the White Fang?"

No one listened to him, and Blake said, "Ugh, you ignorant little brat!" She turned, and walked away angrily. Weiss yelled, "How dare you talk to me like that! I am your teammate!" She followed Blake, while the others watched. Blake turned, and remarked back, "You are a judgmental little girl!"

Weiss asked, "What in the world makes you say that?!"

Frost, Ruby, and Yang watched. Yang then said, "Umm, I think we should go..."

Frost answered, "Agreed..." They watched on.

The argument continued into the night, even back at the dorms. They entered their dorm, and Weiss and Blake continued. Weiss stated, "I don't understand why this is causing such a problem."

Blake responded, "That IS the problem!"

Weiss stood up from her bed, and asked, "You do realize you are defending an organization that hates humanity, don't you? The faunas of the White Fang are pure evil."

Blake stood, and responded, "There's no such thing as pure evil! Why do you think they hate humanity so much? It's because of people like Cardin, people like you that force them to take such drastic measures!"

"People like me?" Weiss said, confused.

Blake continued, "You're discriminatory!"

Weiss then finally snapped, and said, "I'm a victim!" The room went silent. Weiss sighed, and said, "Do you know WHY I despise the White Fang? Why I don't particularly trust the Faunas?" She turned to the window, and looked out of it, with somber sorrow in her eyes. She continued, "It's because they've been at war with my family for years...war, as in actual bloodshed. My grandfather's company has had a target painted across it's back for as long as I can remember. And ever since I was a child...I would watch family members disappear...board members...executed. An entire train car full of dust...stolen." Blake started to understand her hatred to the faunas race.

Weiss continued, "And everyday, my father would come home, furious, and that made for a very difficult childhood."

Ruby walked up to Weiss, and said, "Weiss...I-" She was cut off, when Weiss turned sharply, and said angrily, "No! You want to know why I despise the White Fang?! It's because they are a bunch of liars, thieves and murderers!"

Blake reached the end of her fuse, and finally said, "Well maybe we were tired of being pushed around!" The room went silent again. Blake's face went from anger, into panic. Weiss stepped back, and Ruby and Yang looked at her just as equally as shocked, but Frost looked at her with not shock, but sympathy. Blake then stuttered, "I-I..." She then ran to the door, and outside. Ruby yelled, "Wait, Blake! Come back!" Frost then said, "Wait."

Ruby turned to him, and said, "Leave her to me. I know her pain, let me go after her."

Ruby looked at him, confused, but she agreed nevertheless. She then said, "Try and get her back."

Frost nodded, and said, "I'll try." He then ran out the door, and after Blake.

Blake ran into the Courtyard, until she stopped in front of the statue, in the middle of the courtyard. She looked at the top of it, and it had huntsmen, wielding their weapons, and standing with pride. Blake looked towards the bottom, and saw the grimm, getting crushed like animals, by the huntsmen. Blake looked at it with sadness. She reached to the top of her hair., to wear her bow is. She grabbed the ends of it, and pulled. The bow untied into a ribbon, revealing black cat ears on top of Blake's black hair. A tear falls, and she wipes it away.

From behind, she hears footsteps. She readies her weapon, and turns, but it is only Frost. Frost simply asked, "How long would you be able to keep it a secret?"

Blake eased her tension. She answered, "You wouldn't understand. I hide from the world because I am a criminal. Someone like you wouldn't understand the hardships I must endure."

Frost looked away, and said, "Understand...? I don't need to understand. I have lived it."

Confused, Blake asked, "What do you mean?"

Frost sighed, and answered, "Like I have said to Ruby, to all of you, I have had my fair share of run-ins with the crime boss, Roman Torchwick, but not just in fights..." He stopped for a minute, and he sighed before he finally said, "I was not always his enemy. I had worked with him in the past."

Blake looked at Frost, not with the same emotion. Instead of confusion, it was with guilt. Frost continued, "In my first year at Sanctum, I met him in the black market of Mistral. He thought I was an exceptional fighter, and a well-educated in the world around me. He took me in, and I even thought of him as the father I wished I had. It took time, but I realized his view of the world was just...horrible. I defied him, and now he hunts me down. However, my family has worked with Ozpin before, so I figured I would ask him for help. He took me in, and helped me turn my life around, and now I am here."

Blake understood what he meant now. What he meant when he had run-ins with Roman. Why he chooses to protect others before himself.

Frost continued, "I never thought I would get out of that life. But now, I am surrounded by people I would consider my ally and friend."

Blake shedded another tear. She then said, "I'm...sorry."

Frost answered, "Don't be. Just remember, you are not alone." Blake looked into his eyes, and nodded. From behind them, someone said, "I knew you would look better without the bow." The two of them turned, and saw both Sun and Dusk. Sun and Dusk smiled, and Blake and Frost even cracked a small smile.


	25. Chapter 25: Lost and Found

**Hello everyone! I am sorry I have not posted in a while, I have been going through some rough times, and needed to take a break, and clear my head, but now I should be okay to resume what I love best. With that aside, I hope you enjoy.**

The next two days go by. The sunshine beams through Team RWBY's dorm, and it hits Ruby in her eyes. She opens them, and sits herself up, and stretches while yawning. She looked across the room, at the other bunkbed. Yang is on the top bed, but the bed under was empty. She then sighs sadly.

The remaining members of Team SFFR and RWBY got ready, and they head to the city. Ruby said, "She's been gone all weekend."

Weiss remarked, "Blake's a big girl, I'm sure she can take care of herself."

Jecht jumped in the conversation with, "Well, it was your antics that made her respond like she did, and she took Frost as well."

Shade looked a little worried. Yang asked, "Shade? Are you okay?"

Shade answered, "Not really. I am worried for Frost. I understand what went down last night, and why he ran off with Blake, and I think I understand his motive now..."

Yang asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Verde answered, "We think he has been giving subtle hints about his past...none of us really paid enough attention to it.

Ruby remarked, "What? That make's no-" She then thought for a second, and remembered the many times he had said he had been with Roman. She then said, "Ooooohhhh."

Weiss remarked, "Oh great, another criminal."

Ruby asked, "Are you guys angry at him?"

Shade scoffed, "Hardly! He is our brother, an ally, and a friend. His past does not matter now."

Verde and Jecht agreed with his statement.

Weiss then said, "A member of the White Fang, and a follower of one of the biggest crime bosses in Vale, right under our noses!"

Jecht responded calmly, "We haven't heard their story. We should here there's before we jump to conclusions."

Ruby then said, "I just hope they're okay..."

Meanwhile, Sun and Blake are on a Cafe balcony. Blake drinks from her cup, while Sun sits there, watching attentively, while holding the cup with his tail. Sun takes a sip, but Blake places her cup down, and said, "So...you wanna know more about me?"

Sun exclaimed, "Finally, she speaks! Nearly two days, and you've given me nothing but small talk and weird looks."

Blake then glares at him. Sun responds, "Yeah, like that."

Blake rolls her eyes, but ended with a sigh. Blake then asked, "Sun...are you familiar the White Fang?"

Sun answered, "Of course! I don't think there's a faunas on the planet who hasn't heard of them. Stupid holier-than-thou creeps that use force to get whatever they want. Bunch of freaks if you ask me."

Blake took another sip of her tea. Blake then said, "I was...once a member of the White Fang."

While taking another sip, Sun choked, and coughed. He then asked, "Wait a minute? You were a member of the White Fang? What about Frost?"

Blake then said, "That's a...different story. He worked with Roman Torchwick."

Sun made a small groan.

Blake explained her story, "I was a member for most of my life, actually. You could almost say I was born into it. Back then, things were different. In the ashes of war, the White Fang was meant to be a symbol of peace and unity between the human and the faunas. Of course, despite being promised equality, the faunas were subjugated to discrimination and hate. Humanity still thought of us as lesser beings. And so, the White Fang rose up as the voice of our people. And I was there. At the front of every rally. I took part in every boycott. And I actually thought we were making a difference...but I was a youthful optimist...Then, five years ago, our leader stepped down, and a new one took place. A new leader, with a new way of thinking. Suddenly, our peaceful protests were being replaced with organized attacks. We were setting fire to shops that refused to serve us. Hijacking cargo from companies that used faunas labor. And the worst part was...it was working. We were being treated as equals. Not out of respect, but out of fear."

Blake then let out a sigh, and finished, "So I left...I decided I no longer wanted to use my skills to aid in their violence. And instead, I would dedicate my life to becoming a huntress...and here I am. A criminal hiding in plain view, all with the help of a little black bow." She looked upwards, towards her cat ears, and wiggled them under the bow."

Sun, still taking in the information, asked, "So...have you told your friends any of this?" Blake looked away.

Meanwhile, on a roof, not to far from the cafe, Frost sits, and watches while Sun and Blake have their talk. Another figure jumps up to the roof. Frost looked over, and said, "Hey there."

Frost looked over, and saw Dusk. Frost smiled, and said, "Hey."

Dusk asked, "May I join you?"

Frost nodded, and Dusk walked to him, and sat down beside him. Dusk asked, "Been awhile, hasn't it?"

Frost nodded, and answered, "Yeah. How's the gang?"

Dusk answered, "Good. We got into Haven Academy, and even formed a team."

Frost asked, "What are you called?"

Dusk answered, "Team DUSK."

Frost then asked, "Who's the leader?"

Dusk answered, "You're looking at her."

Frost remarked, "Really? The Dusk Eclisse I remember hated being a leader."

Dusk responded, "A lot can change. Besides, being with my childhood friends helps a lot."

Frost chuckled. Dusk then asked, "How about you? It has been awhile since you contacted me."

Frost explained, "Busy, I guess."

Dusk smirked, and responded, "I can tell." She points to the scar on Frost's face.

Frost smirked back, and said, "Don't get mad because you don't have a cool battle scar."

Dusk punched Frost's shoulder, and said, "I don't want my precious skin getting ruined!"

Frost rolled his eyes, and said, "If you say so." He then stifled a chuckle. The two of them went silent. Frost then asked, "How is my family?"

Dusk perked up, and answered, "Your mother is doing fine, but your sister actually made it into Haven Academy as well!"

Frost perked up as well. He then asked, "Really? I knew she had the skill, but she is a year younger as well."

Dusk explained, "She took the test, and she made almost a perfect score on it. She is the leader of Team SNOW."

Frost asked, "Who does she have as teammates?"

Dusk answered, "She has a man name Nolan Noire, a girl named Olivia Clay, and finally, another man, named Wesker Vermillion.

Frost nodded. He then said, "Glad to see she is doing well without me."

Dusk agreed. She then sighed, and said, "She has missed you, though. A lot."

Frost nodded, but said, "I know, but I had to leave."

Dusk responded, "She understands, but it doesn't excuse the fact that these past years have left her broken."

Frost solemnly sighed. He then asked, "She is coming for the Vytal Festival, correct?"

Dusk answered, "Yes. She is thrilled to finally get the chance to see you. You should have seen the look on her face."

Frost chuckled, "I think I can imagine it."

They both went silent for a minute. Dusk stretched, until she laid down onto the roof. She asked, "So, you crushin' on anyone?"

Frost chuckled, and remarked, "Wow, change the subject that fast?"

Dusk remarked aggressively, yet playfully, "Just answer the question!"

Frost rolled his eyes, and said, "No, I am not."

Dusk snorted, and said, "That's a lie. I know you to well to not have someone you care about."

"I-" Frost was about to remark, but he sighed, and said, "Well...there is this...one girl."

Dusk remarked loudly, "A-HA! I KNEW IT!"

Frost rolled his eyes, and said, "Alright, don't blurt it out now."

Dusk groaned, and remarked, "Fine. Don't tell me who it is, I wanna guess."

Frost answered, "Go ahead."

Dusk rubbed her chin, as if she were thinking. She finally said, "I'll give it time. But in that time, I will be watching you."

Frost answered, "Got it."

Dusk looked at her watch, and said, "Oh, would you look at the time...I best be going. I'll catch up with you, Sun, and Blake later. I got a few things I need to take care of."

Frost nodded, and responded, "Alright, stay safe."

Dusk smirked, and said, "I will." She jumped off the roof, and into the streets of Vale. Frost remained, watching over the other two.

Meanwhile, Team RWBY and SFFR walk the streets of Vale, calling out for their lost teammates. However, Weiss seems to be content with her argument, and does not help. Ruby calls her out on it, "Weiss, you're not helping!"

Weiss retorted, "Oh, do you know who might help? The police."

Ruby groaned, and crossed her arms, and glared at her. "Ugh, Weiss..." She said.

Weiss responded with, "It was JUST an idea!"

Ruby rolled her eyes, and said, "Yeah, a really bad one."

Yang said, "Like Jecht said, we should here what they have to say first, before we jump to conclusions."

Weiss remarked, "I think when you hear it, you'll all realize I was right."

A familiar voice behind them then said, "And I think Weiss's hair looks wonderful today." The group turned, and Ruby said, "GAH! PENNY! WHERE DID YOU COME FROM!"

Penny said, "Hey guys. Who are the new friends?"

Shade turned, and asked Ruby, "Umm...what DID happen two days ago?"

Ruby whispered back, "I'll explain later."

Shade shrugged, and said, "Alright." He looked to Penny, and said, "I'm Shade."

Verde said, "The name's Verde."

And before Jecht could answer, Penny then said, "And Jecht!"

Jecht slightly bowed. He then said, "It has been awhile, Penny."

Yang asked, "Wait, you know her?"

Jecht nodded, and answered, "Yeah. I have seen her around the Atlesian Barracks."

Penny then asked, "So, what are you guys up to?"

Yang answered, "We are looking for our friends Blake and Frost."

Penny responded, "Oooooooh, you mean the Faunas girl and boy."

The group stood there in silence. Ruby finally asked, "Wait...how did you know that?"

Penny responded, "Um, the cat ears?"

Yang then remarked, "What cat ears? She wears a...bow..." As she finished, she realized what the bow was for. The group fell silent again, until Ruby broke it with, "She does like tuna a lot."

Penny asked, "So. Where are they?"

Ruby answered, "We don't know. They've been missing since Friday."

Shade continued for her, "After she left, and they sent Frost after her, she seems to have taken him with her."

Penny gasps, and walks to Ruby, and grabs her arms. She remarked, "That's terrible! Don't worry Ruby, my friend! I won't rest until we find your teammate!"

Penny let Ruby go. Ruby chuckled nervously, and responded, "Um, that's very nice of you, Penny, but we're okay, right guys?" She looked over, only to see Weiss, Yang, and Shade gone. Verde and Jecht stood there. The four of them stood in silence, and a tumbleweed blew past them. Penny remarked, "It sure is windy today."

Later in the day, Blake, Sun, Frost and Dusk walked the stone sidewalk. Sun asked, "So what's the plan now?"

Blake had her head down, thinking. She finally responded, "I still don't believe the White Fang are behind these robberies. They've never needed that much dust before."

Sun remarked, "What if they did?"

Frost asked, "Explain?"

Sun continued, "I mean, the only way to prove they didn't do it, is to go to the place where they would most likely do it, and not find them there! Right?"

Blake responded, "The thing is, I have no idea where that would be."

Dusk smirked, and said, "I believe me and Sun know. On the ship, the sailors were talking about this shipment of Dust coming in from Atlas."

Frost asked, "How huge?"

Sun continued for Dusk, "HUGE. Big Schnee Company freighter."

Blake then asked, "You're sure?"

Dusk smirked once again, and said, "Very."

Frost then said, "If it is at the docks...I know of a good place we could stay and watch over the docks. Follow me."

Frost leads them to the place over the docks, where they watch and wait for the White Fang.

Yang, Weiss, and Shade walk out of a shop. Yang calls back, "Thanks anyway!" The door closes, and Yang said, "Ugh...this is hopeless..."

Shade said, to ease the air, "Don't worry, we will find them."

Yang looks at Weiss, and said, "You really don't care if we find them, do you?"

Weiss remarked, "Oh don't be stupid, of course I do! I'm just afraid of what she'll say when we find her." As she was walking off, Weiss continued, "The innocent never run, Yang."

Yang looks away. Shade then said, "Don't listen to her. Deep down, she doesn't mean it..."

Yang sighed, and responded, "I sure hope so..." They then followed Weiss.

Ruby, Penny, Jecht, and Verde walk around. Penny asked, "So, Blake is your friend?"

Ruby sighed, and responded, "Yes, Penny."

Penny then asked, "And you're mad at her?"

Ruby answered, "Well, I'm not, Weiss is."

Penny then asked, "Is SHE friends with Blake?"

Verde answered for her, "That remains to be answered."

Penny then asked, "But, why?"

Ruby answered, "Well, you see...Blake might not be who we thought she was."

Penny gasped, and said, "Is she a man?"

Ruby responded quickly, "No, no...we don't know what she is. She didn't exactly talk to us before she decided to run off, so I sent Frost after her, but they both never came back."

Penny then responded, "I don't have a lot of friends...but if I did, I would want them to talk to me about things."

Ruby, Verde, and Jecht all looked away. Ruby then said, "Me too..." They then continued to walk the streets, still searching for her friends.


	26. Chapter 26: More Questions Than Answers

Night falls over Vale. Frost, Blake, and Dusk watch over the docks on top of a storage building. On the docks are several shipping containers with the Schnee Company logo. Sun finally joins them, and asked, "Did I miss anything?"

Blake answered, "Not really. They've offloaded the crates. Now they're just sitting there."

Sun responded, "Cool." He holds an apple out to Blake, and said, "I stole you some food!"

Blake asked, "Do you always break the law without a second thought?"

Sun retorted with, "Hey, weren't you in a cult, or something?" The air got a lot heavier after he said that. Dusk sighed, and said, "Too soon."

Above them, the wind rushed past their faces, and a noise of a loud engine. The looked behind them, and an aircraft flew over their heads, and onto the docks, landing among the cargo. The bay door opens, and a person walks out. Blake responded, "Oh no..."

Sun asked, "Is that them?"

Frost looked closer, and saw the symbol of the White Fang on the back of his outfit. He nodded, and said, "Yes, it is them."

More members walked off of the aircraft. One of them ordered, "Alright, grab the tow cables."

Sun then asked, "You really didn't think they were behind it...did you?"

Blake answered, "No...I think deep down I knew. I just didn't want to be right."

She looked away, but another voice rang out. A familiar voice said, "Hey! What's the hold up?!"

Frost and Blake looked back down, as Roman Torchwick stepped out of the aircraft.

Roman continued, "We're not exactly the most inconspicuous bunch of thieves at the moment, soooo, why don't you animals try and pick up the pace."

Blake glared, and said, "This isn't right. The White Fang would never work with a human. Especially one like that." She stood up, and unsheathed her sword. She then said, "Come on Frost."

Frost growled, "Right behind you." He pulled his elbow blades out, and the two of them jumped down. Sun yelled, "Wait, what are you doing?!" But it was too late. Blake and Frost were content to find out what was going on. They ran across the docks, and they hid behind a shipping container. The two of them looked past it, and Roman was scowling one of the members. He said, "No you idiot! This isn't a leash!"

Blake came up behind Roman, and grabbed his hands, and placed her sword across Roman's neck. "What the?" He exclaimed. The White Fang readied their weapons, and Frost came out, with his revolvers, ready to shoot. Roman then said, "Heeey, Frosty. It's been awhile, hasn't it."

Frost growled, "Quiet!"

The White Fang members surrounded the two of them, and Roman. Blake looked around, and she took one of her hands, and pulled her bow off, revealing the cat ears. She then asked, "Brothers of the White Fang. Why are you aiding this scum?!"

Roman made a light chuckle. He then asked, "Didn't you get the memo?"

Blake said aggressively, "What do you mean?"

Roman answered, "Me and the White Fang are going on a joint business venture together."

Blake then ordered, "Tell me what it is, or I'll put an end to your little operation." She pulled the sword closer to his neck. As she did, the wind around her, Frost, and Roman blew violently. They all looked up, and more aircrafts came in. Roman then said, "I wouldn't call it a little operation."

While Blake was in awe at the amount of ships, Roman took his chance. He took the cane from his back, and he tilted it a little, pointing it to Blake's feet. Frost noticed, and said, "Blake, look out!" It was too late. Roman fired one shot, sending Blake flying back. The explosion made a massive plume of smoke. While walking through the city, Ruby, Verde, Jecht, and Penny saw the smoke plume. Ruby realized, "Oh no..."

Frost quickly ran back, and caught Blake. He set her back onto her feet quickly. Roman took his cane, and pointed it to the two of them. He fired a few shots in unison. Frost and Blake quickly rolled to the side, dodging the shots successfully. Roman continued the onslaught of unstable flares. Frost and Blake rolled backwards from the explosions, and they took cover behind some cargo crates. Roman smirked, and said, "Here kitty, kitty..."

As he finished, a banana peel fell onto his hat, tipping it forward. He growled, and threw the peel off. He looked up, only to see Sun and Dusk. Dusk grabbed Sun, and tossed him downwards to Roman. Sun landed on Roman's face, knocking him down. Dusk finished, by landing onto his gut while he was down. Sun flipped back, and Dusk jumped next to him. Sun then ordered, "Leave them alone." As Roman got up, the aircraft doors opened up, and White Fang grunts jumped out, surrounding them. Roman smirked, and said, "You are not the brightest banana in the bunch, are ya kids?"

As he finished, the grunts charged at them. Sun asked Dusk, "You ready?"

Dusk smirked, and said, "More than ready." Dusk turned, and placed her back against Sun's. The first guy entered. Sun gave him a swift back fist to the face, knocking him out quickly. One ran to Dusk, but met with fate by a swift boot in the jaw. Two more came up, but Sun did a sweeping kick to the one running to Dusk, and Dusk backflipped over Sun, landing on the other one. Sun then ordered Dusk, "Duck your head!" Sun reached up his shirt, and pulled out a collapsible staff. It quickly assembled, and he twirled it, and hit a grunt in the gut with the end.

Dusk stood back up, and pulled a polished round shield from her back. Two more grunts ran to them. Sun twirled his staff, blocking the sword of one, and he counter attacked, knocking him out. Dusk blocked the attack, and she gave a swift shield punch. Sun then said, "Jump!" Dusk jumped up, and Sun smashed the ground with his bo-staff, creating a small pulse in the ground, knocking out three of them. He stood back up. One more grunt came up, and thrusted forwards, but Sun dodged downwards, and sweeped the grunt's legs from under him. He pivoted on his hands, and smashed his feet into the scalp of his enemy. He pushed up on his hands, sending him up, and he landed on the enemy's back. He flipped back, kicking him upwards at Roman.

Roman ducked under the flying body, and he retaliated. He stood back up, and fired a flare. Dusk jumped in front of Sun, and held the shield firm. The flare landed on the shield, but did no damage. Blake jumped over Sun and Dusk, and yelled, "He's mine!" She bounded towards him, and slashed once. Roman blocked with the cane.

Blake landed, and the two of them started trading blows. Blake jumped up in the air again, and shot down towards him. He blocked, but she made a clone and went behind him. She struck again, but only to be blocked. She kept trying to get behind him, but he was too fast. Blake landed back in front of him, and he used his palm. He pushed forwards, but Blake flipped backwards, and kept on fighting. Blake swung down, but Roman parried the blow, pushing the sword away. He first hit her gut, then the side of her head, then her face, pushing her back.

Frost jumped in this time. He jumped into the air, and spun downwards. Roman blocked with the cane vertically above his head. He pushed Frost up. Frost flipped back, and landed. He rushed at Roman. Roman struck at his gut, but Frost blocked it with his left blade. He maneuvered his blade, and placed the tip of the cane under his arm. As he did, he kicked Roman's gut twice, before letting the cane go, and reeling his leg back, and kicking straight into his stomach. Roman was sent back, but he recovered quickly, and fired one shot at Frost. Frost dodged to the left, and Dusk and Sun entered the frey.

Sun kicked him back, and he disassembled his staff, into two shotgun nunchucks. He swung the ends at Roman, while firing them, speeding their momentum. Roman blocked all the shots, until the final shot. The last shot staggered him, and Dusk came over Sun's head, and bashed her shield into him, sending him back. Roman slid backwards until he stopped by some crates. He sat up, and looked over the group. A huge crate dangled over them. He stood up, and pointed his cane at the cables. He fired, and the explosion caused the cables to snap. Blake, Dusk, and Frost flipped backwards, but Sun went forwards, to Roman. Once he landed, Roman pointed his cane at Sun.

Hey!" A familiar voice yelled out. Ruby, Penny, Verde, and Jecht walk to the edge of a faraway roof. Ruby twirled her scythe, sticking the blade into the concrete roof. Roman mocked her, "Oh, hello, Red! Isn't it past your bed time?"

Penny asked Ruby, "Ruby...are these people your friends?"

Ruby ordered, "Penny, get back!"

Roman took the opportunity, and fired at her. Verde took action. He pushed Ruby out of the way, and turned his arms into metal. The explosion landed, but knocking him back, and completely drained his aura. He groaned in pain. Jecht and Ruby both ran to his side, helping him up. Meanwhile, Penny glared down the side of the building. She walked to the edge, but Ruby said, "Penny, wait! Stop!"

Penny looked back, and said, "Don't worry, Ruby...I'm combat ready!" The pack on her back opened up, and one sword came out. It unfolded, and it split into ten swords. She ran across the roof, and jumped off. Ruby asked, "Jecht, what is she doing?"

Jecht smirked, and replied, "She is not wrong. Just watch her."

Penny threw a few of her swords downwards, knocking the enemies under her out. She landed, and the swords twirled around her. She looked to her right, and a grunt rushed her. She turned, and threw her left arm back at the grunt. The swords flew into the grunt, pushing him back. She threw it forward, knocking another grunt into the wall. Three more rushed at her from the front. The swords created a circle in front of her, and spun, knocking two of them away. The swords then surrounded her, and she jumped up, and turned sideways, hitting the last one. A group of the grunts chased her, but she simply threw all her swords in one maelstrom, knocking them all down.

The original group looked up, to see gunships flying in. Frost said, "We better get out of the way!" The others agreed, and they hunkered down behind some crates. The three gun ships fired at Penny. Penny placed the spinning swords in front of her, shielding her from the bullets. Two more swords protruded from her pack, an they shot out. The swords stuck into the wall, and the wires connecting the swords tightened. Penny retracted the wires, pulling her back against the wall. She slid across the ground, till she stopped. She placed the swords in another circle, but this time, the points were facing outwards in a smaller, more condensed circle. The swords spun, and a ball of green energy started to form. The swords started to spin faster and faster, until Penny reeled her arms back. She then pushed them forwards, and a massive laser beam shot out. It split into two, cutting though two of the gunships like butter. The broken ships flew over Ruby, Jecht, and Verde, landing into the ocean.

Ruby and Verde looked in awe, while Jecht looked proud at Penny. They turned back to the docks. One of the aircrafts started to take off with one of the dust crates. Penny stood under it, with her swords floating. She threw her arms out, and the swords shot into the aircraft's thick metal plating. The wires tightened, and Penny started to walk backwards. Verde asked, "How is she doing that?"

Penny continued walking backwards. The ship tried to take off, but Penny's immense strength was too much. The engine started to strain, and Penny took the moment to pull back. The force pulled the aircraft down, crashing into some other dust crates. Roman took the time to leave. He grabbed his cane, and he boarded another aircraft. Roman looked at the girl, and said, "These kids just keep getting weirder..." he closed the bay door, and the aircraft took off. Penny turned to get the other one, but it was too late. Penny slowed to a halt, watching the aircraft fly off.

A few minutes later, police showed up. Penny, Ruby, Frost, Verde, Jecht, Blake, Sun, and Dusk all sat in a circle, waiting for their friends. Yang, Weiss, and Shade showed up. Yang and Shade were calm, while Weiss seemed somewhat agitated. Ruby stood up, and quickly said, "Weiss, it's not what you think. Blake and Frost explained everything, and she doesn't actually wear a bow, and she has kitty ears and their actually kinda cute."

Weiss ignored Ruby, and walked to Blake. Blake sighed, and said, "Weiss, I want you to know, I am no longer associated with the White Fang. Back when I was-"

Weiss interrupted her with, "Stop. Do you have any idea how long we've been searching for you and Frost?"

No one answered. Weiss continued, "Twelve hours. That means I've had twelve hours to think about this. And in that twelve hours, I've decided..."

A moment of silence fell over the group, wondering what she will say. She then exclaimed, "I don't care!"

Confused, Blake asked, "You don't?"

Weiss asked, "You said you're not one of them anymore, right?"

Blake answered, "No, I haven't been since I was younger-"

Weiss interrupted with, "I don't wanna hear it. All I want to know is that next time something this big comes up, you'll come to your teammates. And not some-" She paused, and she looked at Sun. She corrected herself, and said, "Someone else."

Shade stepped up, and said to Frost, "Everything she said applies to you too, Frost. Next time, come to us for help. You are a respected ally and friend of ours, so know your past won't hinder feelings in the future."

Blake and Frost stood up. Blake said, "Of course."

Frost also said, "I will."

The eight of them all smiled. Ruby then remarked, "Yeah! Team RWBY and SFFR are back together!" The eight of them gathered in a circle, and Dusk and Sun joined in. Weiss looked to the two of them, and said, "I still don't know how I'll feel about you two!"

Sun and Dusk nervously chuckled, but Frost said, "Eh, don't worry. They're chill."

Ruby looked around, and said, "Wait a minute...where's Penny?"

In a car, several yards away, Penny was in it, looking depressingly out the window. The driver said to Penny, "You should know better than to go running around in a strange city."

Penny lowly said, "I know sir..."

The driver drove off, and said, "Penny...your time will come."

Back with the group, Shade asked, "Well...now what?"

Jecht responded, "Guess it is time to return to our studies."

Everyone nodded in agreement. Ruby then asked, "What if something like this happens again?"

Frost smirked, and said, "We'll be ready. We may have more questions than answers at the moment, but let that not halt us."

Yang yawned, and remarked, "Time to head back to our dorms, for a well-earned rest."

Everyone nodded again, wanting some sleep. The group walked back to Beacon, ready for what fate has in store for them.

 **And thus, concludes Volume 1. I will start submitting Volume 2 tomorrow, (Hopefully). In Volume 2, I hope to add extra scenes, more characters, and even some shipping mixed in. But for now, have a pleasant day, (Or night, depending on where you live).**


	27. Authors Note to Viewers

**Authors Note**

I need to get one thing straightened. I know a lot of my writing is canon alongside the show, but there are some things I absolutely cannot change. I am doing my best to try and narrow what I can change, but many of the stuff I find that I could not, without butchering the story as a whole. If I did not add some of these things, it would not fit with the characters personalities or traits, making them either bland, or very forgetful. What I CAN do, however, is create different scenarios with these newly added characters to the regular characters creating relationships, seeing what would work and what would not, and figuring out how these characters would react as well, without completely messing it all up. For instance, I can not stop death whatsoever. If the creators intended it to happen, it was meant to happen. If I tried to rewrite different scenes to stop the inevitable from happening, how would I make it so that I could still write a complete story, while still making it enjoyable? If you are unhappy with my writing style, then so be it, but I will still continue to write the way I see fit. If you want to stop read my stuff, alright, but don't send me threats about how you are going to drop my fanfic.

From,

Frost


End file.
